


The Power of Memories

by the_protector_of_light



Series: The Power of Memories [1]
Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Adventure, Angst, Children of Characters, Gen, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Disordered Eating, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Post-Canon, Self-Acceptance, evil relatives
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-17
Updated: 2016-03-29
Packaged: 2018-05-27 08:09:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 35
Words: 67,283
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6276400
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_protector_of_light/pseuds/the_protector_of_light
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>(Story of future children of Sora/Kairi and Riku/Unknown) Can two first time Keyblade Wielders save the worlds from the memories of their predecessors? Neither Akio nor Haru had any idea what would come when they left their homes that night; but they find themselves brought together on the adventure of a lifetime. Remember: memories can be more powerful than reality. (Highly connected story arcs posted here, being posted in large chunks because it is complete)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Escape

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome to a new adventure! This is my most popular fic on Fanfic.net, but I have extensively edited it before posting it here. I hope that you enjoy this wild ride. I know it's not perfect, but I love it, so hopefully you will too! This story started as a NaNoWriMo fic, and it shows in the first chapter or so. I hope that you will bear with me, as things get a lot less generic as the story progresses.

** The Power of Memories Saga: **

**Part 1: Discoveries**

Chapter 1: Escape

0o0o0

                Akio stared up at the stars, bright and glimmering in the dark of the night. They were a welcome interruption from the darkness all around. The moon shone down as a beacon, lighting his way on a path; he knew not where it might lead. The sand beneath his feet was cold enough that he could feel it through his shoes.

                The stories that he had been told when he was young, long before his parents had left to never return: were they true? Or… or were they, as his aunt and uncle claimed, simply fairy tales they had created to keep him happy and hopeful, though they had begun to fail? Those stories of their heroic feats throughout their adolescence… perhaps they were intended to inspire him to believe he could do anything with his life that he ever desired.

                If that was the case, and they were simply lies, then he should stop believing them. His life was nothing.

                Akio could never be normal; how could he be normal? He was stuck with his stupid aunt and uncle, who though they were wealthy and influential, held him back, forbidding him from interacting with other teens. His friends had all left long ago, and now he was weak and useless; what they said was true. He knew that they had a hold over him, and they were afraid to lose that power…

                Well Akio was through with that crap. He wrapped his baggy white hoodie more tightly around himself and crossed his arms in an attempt to warm himself; these warm and sunny islands were chilly on summer nights.

                His parents were gone and probably dead, but that didn’t mean he was going to stay on a leash any longer. If anything, that knowledge was a spark; he didn’t know what it might ignite, but he was ready to start his own new adventure. He had to do something… right?

                He stood up and gazed out over the dark waters of the sea, shimmering silver in the moonlight. He proceeded onto the cold dock. He was far outside of town. He had gotten there hours ago when his legal guardians had, miracle of all miracles, let him leave to go to the library. Of course, he hadn’t gone there at all. Somehow he had gotten up the courage to run instead. He was good at hiding, and that was what he had done.

                He had to be good at being invisible. It was a matter of survival. Invisibility and anger; the strongest defenses that remained within him protected him from further harm that used to come in torrents. He was done with it all. That was all there was to it.

                Once, long ago, he had been told by his parents that they were Keyblade Masters, whatever that meant; but Sora and Kairi were gone now. No one had any guesses as to what had happened to them. They had disappeared without a trace.

                They left when he was young; his first clear memories was of each of them hugging them in turn, waving with smiles on their faces as they left him behind with his grandmother. He had cried so much, felt so abandoned; it was like he knew even then that they would never come home.

                He took a deep breath as he climbed into an empty boat. He had no clue what he was going to do now; he couldn’t go back home. He had to start somewhere… and that somewhere would be a place he hoped to find a trace: the small, abandoned islet far from shore. His parents and their friend Riku had once played there as children, and they had taken him a few times before they left. He hadn’t been there since. He didn’t know why he felt like he should go there or why he thought it might make some difference. There was no logical reasoning as to why it could. Yet, it felt right. It seemed like it was meant to happen; it was as if the island was calling him away.

                Akio’s journey began here, rowing his boat on the calm waves of the ocean in a direction that he had no clue was correct… but he wasn’t worried about what might come. What was the point in being afraid? Nothing could be worse than what he had now, right? Trapped by ‘family’, teachers and peers that ignored the abuse; failing grades and lousy health, both of which were his own fault. Stopping eating does a number on one’s body.

                Whatever could be out there couldn’t be any worse. No matter what he imagined encountering, he failed to believe it could be as depressing. He couldn’t go back to that; no. It was time for a change, and this was his first step.

0o0o0

                Akio landed his boat by the deteriorating dock; it was a wonder that it still stood after so many years of neglect. He remembered this place more clearly than he believed he would. The trees were far more overgrown now; the wild was taking back this island, and Akio didn’t really want to disturb the serenity. All he wanted was to escape from it all.

                He knew that he would more than likely end up back at home before the next night. While no one would think to look for him out here, he would need nutrition to replenish his energy in his frail body to survive the hot sunlight without much shade and no air conditioning. Maybe coconuts still grew on the other side of the island; he wondered if he could live off of those for a while.

                “Probably not,” he said while rubbing his arms for more warmth. If it came down to it though, he would give it a try. For now, he walked down the beach in an attempt to pick up any fragment of a memory he could glean from the grains of sand. The time that had passed on this little island in the middle of nowhere had erased any traces of anyone ever coming here.

                But he remembered the falling down shack. He had gone into it with his father to escape the rain. “I at least have shelter,” he muttered, “even if it looks like it might collapse.” He certainly wasn’t going to take anything for granted. As much of a pessimist as he might usually be, he knew it would be best to try to be more positive for once.

                He tugged his hoodie tighter around him. The night was growing colder. Looking down at his pale, bony hands, he had to think of how much better this would have worked out if he had left months before. _“How can someone be so pale living on this beautiful island? Surely you must get some sun!”_ a ‘concerned’ girl had once said. He had wanted to snap back at the time that he didn’t, but he kept silent. It had been a long time since he had been outside of the house other than when he was escorted to school.

                People hated him and things like that solidified that belief. He did his best to stay out of sight. When he used to rebel, it only resulted in pain. _“We’re not losing you!”_ his uncle would yell as his foot collided with Akio’s body as he curled up in a ball on the floor, a child holding in sobs of pain and fear. He learned that he couldn’t show weakness. He had only recently regained that courage, and he had been storing it for this day. He had his chance now, and he wasn’t going to let it pass him by.

                His hands were clenched as he walked over to the small waterfall spring to the left of the shack. It definitely didn’t seem natural; it looked like a fountain made by magic. He rolled his eyes at the stupid thought, but something to the left caught his attention. “A cave?” Akio wondered. “No… The Secret Place.”

                The opening was very tight; he had to duck down to pass through even with his slight build. His crimson hair fell into his face and blocked his vision as he entered a tunnel darker than the night; there were no stars or moon to light the way. He blew the hair out of his face as he continued.

                The cave grew brighter as he traveled deeper, which seemed quite bizarre to him. When he reached the center of the room, he saw a hole in the roof of the cave; that explained it. His eyes settled on a large door at the end. “Why is there a door in here?” he pondered as he glanced around.

                He wasn’t there because of the door though. He was there for the drawings that covered the walls, etched by children of his parents’ generation. So many memories surrounded him now. He scanned the walls in search of a specific sketch. Only one of them was important to him and it annoyed him that he couldn’t remember where it was. His eyes paused over odd scribblings of things that he had never seen before; a castle, a bird, a crown; but he finally found the one that he was looking for. His eyes were locked on the stone wall as he crouched onto his knees on the cold floor and placed his palm on the drawing of his mom and dad. They were sharing a paopu fruit. He smiled for a moment. They had been so happy… He wondered what that must have been like.

                “Why did you have to go away?” he quietly asked the wall, knowing very well that it would give him no answers.

0o0o0

                Akio was stiff when he awoke on the cave floor. He had felt safe to sleep there. It felt like nothing could ever hurt him when he was in this strange room. He could tell from the dim lighting that it was not yet morning, but he got up and walked out of the cave.

                He yawned and stretched before he saw it; glowing yellow eyes in pools of darkness, slowly rising up into strange alien-esque creatures. “What the hell?” he yelled. “What’s going on?” He looked around in search of any escape route. Seeing none, he resorted to darting between the creatures… but there were simply too many of them. They even covered his boat, the only hope of escape he had.

                “I’m going to die,” he resigned. He hadn’t intended to die today, but he didn’t have a weapon; and even if he did, he didn’t know how to fight. “Damn it!” he screamed up at the stars. “Why the hell can’t you just give me a break for once?”

                He didn’t fight as he was surrounded by the creatures of darkness; they were climbing up him, overwhelming him, but he did not make a sound. Sure, he was scared; he was terrified. Without a question, he had always feared the darkness. “Mom, Dad; why did you have to go away and leave me _nothing?_ ” He didn’t care how stupid he sounded. He knew they could never hear them, that he was alone here on this island like he always had been and always would be. Taking a deep breath, he crossed his arms instinctively to try to protect his heart from the encroaching creatures. “Why?” he breathed, shivering as he grew colder than he ever had before.

                With a sudden wave of heat, a bright light blasted the creatures back. He felt a weight in his hand. His body was shaking as though he had been in icy waters. When he looked down, he saw… “Is this a… Keyblade?” He stared at the sword in his hand, noting the odd shape and the feeling of the strong metal firm against his hand.

                He grinned. “Bring it on!” he yelled at the creatures, tightening his grip on the weapon. He rushed forward, swinging the sword wildly at the enemies. He knew the theory of fighting at least, and all things considered, he seemed to be doing pretty well.

                He laughed nervously as he dodged an attack. “This has to be hilarious to watch,” he noted. “A skinny teenager, not an ounce of muscle, beats some weird shadow things with a giant key. I can see the headlines now.” He laughed, and it made the creatures back up. His eyes narrowed. “You guys don’t like laughter, huh?” he said. “Well how do you feel about this?” he swung his sword in a wide arc, making the shadows burst away into the darkness.

                As much fun as he was having, he knew there were too many to fight, and now he had space to run; he didn’t know where too, but he had to run. “The Secret Place!” he exclaimed and rushed towards the cave.

                There was a door where the cave entrance had once been, a double door intricately decorated with carvings of swirls, and it glowed; it wasn’t like anything he had ever seen before. But the creatures were catching up; it was now or never, he had no choice but to step through. He pulled the door open and rushed into the light…

                And found that he was standing on a platform of stained glass.

0o0o0


	2. Fate

Chapter 2: Fate

0o0o0

                Akio looked around at the dark abyss. “What the hell?” he questioned. There was nothing to be seen besides the stained glass floor that glowed beneath his feet. The round structure was large and blue, but that wasn’t what held his attention.

                In his hand was the Keyblade. It was completely plain, and rather heavy; it was nothing more than a simple silver key with a gold hilt and a chain hanging from the base; the chain ended in a strange shape of three orbs, which with some imagination could be seen as a mouse. “Where’d this thing come from?”

                Akio turned the weapon in his hand, looking at the other side while trying to draw some memory that might lie within. Something lay hazily deep within his mind, attempting to break to the surface. Maybe if he focused every ounce of his mind he could pull on the locks and chains holding it back…

                It was a memory; his third birthday. It was very distant, very fuzzy, but it was there. The party had been annoying and tedious, noisy and full of people. Akio hated that kind of thing, so he hid in his room until all of the guests had left. It was evening before he snuck out into the living room once more. He heard his parents speaking quietly to one another in on the porch in the moonlight. He crept behind the couch and up into a chair, grabbing a book and flipping through the pages out of boredom. He couldn’t remember what the book had been about, because soon he heard his parents come in the door saying his name. They came over to where he sat; his father conjured a Keyblade… the one that was in his hand right now…

                Akio’s eyes popped open for a moment, but shook his head and tried not to lose his train of thought. His father had placed the sword in his hand; it was too heavy for a three year old to lift, so he held the other end. _“I know you are young,”_ his father said. _“But we think you’re ready.”_ Akio wanted to remember the voice so badly, but he couldn’t; so he settled on the words instead.

                His mother had patted Akio on the head as he looked at them curiously. _“This is a Keyblade,”_ his father continued. _“It will protect you when the time is right. Always keep it with you in your heart and use it to protect the ones you care about.”_

                They were smiling. His mother said, _“We love you so much. We’re so proud of you.”_

                The memory faded. “No! Don’t go away!” he begged; but that was all he could remember. “Don’t leave me…” He shook his head and gritted his teeth. What was up with that reaction?

                After a moment, he was calm once more. “So this is his…” Akio raised the Keyblade to get a better look, holding it tightly in his hand in an attempt to remember his father’s touch. “I guess I need this now… but why?” He looked around. “I don’t have anyone to protect… Do I?” He lowered the weapon.

                “What could this mean?” The only conclusion he could come to was that his parents were really dead, since it was his father’s Keyblade. That was a devastating blow for him. He… he had always held on to a tiny bit of hope that his parents might be alive somewhere and would come back for him; that they would be there for him once more. He had always known it was a pipedream, but it kept him going. Now, that was gone.

                He looked down at the glass under his feet. He stared at the pattern. It was his parents holding hands on a paopu fruit background. “What the hell?” he asked as he stepped forward; but the glass began to shatter. He froze.

                But he couldn’t hold on forever. He had to keep going, even if this was the end. He couldn’t be afraid, not now. He had to be brave… for them. And so he fell.

                The room had an eerie lack of air, and it felt like he was falling in complete emptiness. It seemed like an eternity before he saw another platform in the distance. His descent slowed, and he landed safely on his feet. This platform was a depiction of three people in black cloaks, sitting on the edge of a clock tower over a golden background. Each held a Keyblade. More Keyblade Masters… What was going on?

                He stepped forward, and the glass held secure. He was struck by the beauty of this silent place; he knew he was alone, but he felt like there were people with him, powerful people who were there to keep him safe.

                He spotted a set of stairs on the edge of the circle. It was made of stained glass panels as well. He looked around, searching the area for another path to follow, releasing a breath that he hadn’t known he was holding. There were no other options; he decided to proceed.

                Each step he took made him feel colder. So cold; he felt like he could freeze to death at any moment, but there was nothing around to be making him feel this way. Still, he walked ahead, knowing there was nothing he could do about it but try to hold onto his remaining heat. He had to keep moving. There had to be some way out of this place, some way back to reality; he just had to find it.

                The stairs crossed an empty black void, no bottom in sight. Akio gulped and tried not to look down as he stayed carefully in the very center of the path. There was nothing ahead, but he hoped with the little hope that he had remaining that he was headed in the right direction. He wrapped his hoodie tightly around him. He was glad to have the huge sweater on in this cold… well, he always wore the white garment, but still. He crossed his arms over his heart, laughing nervously and wishing he was braver, but he couldn’t ignore the terror that filled him if his eyes wandered over the edge.

                “I’m not cut out for stuff like this,” he complained. He was a coward. It was his survival mechanism: fear everything because anyone can hurt you. Things can change for the worst when you least expect it, and even though he craved pain at times he wanted it to be on his own terms. Now that was behind him. But even though he wanted to choose his own path now, to make a difference like his parents had, he was horrified that things would fall apart.

                He liked to believe that they had done the things they had said; saved the worlds, things like that. He knew it was a stretch, and even though he wanted nothing more than to be as incredible as they were, he never really wanted to fight. He would rather write a book; but that wasn’t going to happen now. He had the Keyblade. He had been chosen, he supposed, and he had to do what must be done… whatever that might be. “Typical,” he commented. “My luck just doesn’t get any better.”

                Finally, _finally_ he saw another platform in the distance. He was freezing; he had never been so cold or imagined it possible. Cold and darkness were all that surrounded him, just like always… Akio snorted. That was a bit melodramatic, but the point stood. Akio was ready for this strange experience to be over.

                He reached the top and cautiously traveled to the center. This glass had more people that he recognized: it was adorned with Riku alongside Akio’s parents. They all seemed so happy, these platform-people. Why couldn’t he have friends like that?

                He surveyed his surroundings but saw no exit. Something caught his eye; his shadow. “That’s odd,” he said. “Where’s the light coming from?” He looked around and saw no source. He took a step forward and the shadow grew; it began to rise from the surface and take on a solid form.

                He backed up, turning around to escape down the ramp; but it was gone, and he nearly fell from the platform in his attempt to flee. He yelped, wheeling around to face the now giant enemy that no longer resembled him in the least. “How the hell am I supposed to deal with that— that thing?”

                He knew though, without being told; he must fight. He knew he would probably fail. He more than likely would be defeated in no time at all, but he wanted so survive, and he saw no other options than to engage in combat. And so, he held out his hand, relieved when the Keyblade appeared.

                Akio charged the beast, dodging out of the way of its attacks. It wasn’t directly attacking him; instead, it used waves of energy. It was easy to learn its pattern, as it moved slowly, and he quickly was able to anticipate each attack. He was surprised by how well he was defending himself.

                Of course, the moment he thought things were going his way, some of the strange smaller shadow creatures came from below and began attacking too. “No fair!” he yelled, knowing that the tides had changed. Soon he began to be overwhelmed; being attacked from all sides at once made it difficult to fend them all off, let alone pay attention to the giant creature.

                A pool of darkness formed beneath him, and he felt himself sinking. “Damn it!” He struggled and tried to escape, but it was no use. _This is it,_ he thought in dismay. The monster was moving closer. _I guess I’ll see you soon, Mom and Dad._ He closed his eyes, allowing himself to be overcome; there was no point struggling.

                “No…” he said, feeling a light from within. “I can’t give up!” He opened his eyes. “This can’t be the end! I might be afraid of the darkness, but that won’t stop me!” He resumed his attempts to escape the clutches. “I’m not going to give up! If I’m going out, I’m going out fighting, like my parents would!” He managed to step forward. “I’m not going to stand here and let this happen!” He didn’t know where the sudden courage came from; was it the memories of his parents?

                It didn’t matter, though. All of the monsters disappeared, returning to the shadows and fading away. He was back on solid ground now, safe and sound. In a burst of light, a door appeared in front of him; the same door from The Secret Place.

                “What the hell?” Akio asked as he strode forward. He wasn’t cold anymore, and he wasn’t shaking. He wasn’t afraid.

                He pushed open the door with confidence, and even though light flooded over him he entered without hesitation. He knew fear would do nothing but hold him back; he had to be brave: brave like his father, his mother, Riku, and all of the other brave people he had known. The light was blinding as he stepped through the threshold.

0o0o0


	3. Reunion

Chapter 3: Reunion

0o0o0

                Akio felt his feet scraping a rough surface. The empty void was gone.

                He now stood on a wide ledge; the door that he had come through was nowhere to be found. He looked around in confusion. “A clock tower?” he wondered as his eyes settled on the clock face near him. To his knowledge, there were no clock towers on the Destiny Islands, but here he was. The sun was setting below the horizon. “That’s not my sunset…” he stated. The colors of the setting sun illuminated the world like a watercolor painting, but it was strikingly different from any he had seen before; there was more orange to the sky, less pinks and blues.

                The sea glistened calmly in the distance. “And that’s not my ocean!” He looked around, regretting the action upon seeing how far it was to the ground. He took a step back before he dared to peer down again. There were no plants, nor palm trees; no grasses, nor flowers. “Where the hell am I?”

                Akio turned the corner and discovered a staircase. _Well that’s good,_ he thought. _At least I’m not stuck here._ He cautiously travelled down the stairs, scanning his surroundings as he walked. It was so strange: he was in a… train station? He had only read of such things in books, so he had no way of telling. These _looked_ like trains.

                _How did I get here?_ he puzzled. He had been on the little islet before that weird experience. How did he end up here on the other side of that door… and where was here?

                Akio continued through the building, passing a few people milling about, but he didn’t approach anyone. It might raise some eyebrows for some strange teenager to ask where he was out of the blue. Besides, people sucked; why would he talk to them? He just had to keep moving. If he kept moving, he would find out what was going on; he would find his way through.

                On the plus side, he the people didn’t seem to be paying attention to much other than their own business. He didn’t have to stop and answer any questions. Either no one noticed him or else they didn’t make note of him. He slowly passed through the doors and out into a plaza, looking around and seeing how it overlooked the sea in the distance. The stone pathways were golden in the fading daylight.

                Akio saw no choice but to follow where his feet led him. What else could he do, anyway? He hadn’t planned out anything at all when he had run away from home, let alone this bizarre turn of events, and as confused as he was, he wasn’t afraid anymore. It felt like he was on the right path, like this was the beginning of a new journey. Even if he had to go it alone, it wasn’t anything new; he didn’t need anyone to back him up, because he had always taken care of himself… right?

                He passed through a market-type area without taking much note; he was drawn in a particular direction, and he knew when he found it. There was an opening in the wall on one side. Through said opening were trees forming a loose forest; he could see the other side without much difficulty. Akio hesitated for a moment before going through. The woods had a spooky quality, but they were serene; he wasn’t afraid to continue through it carefully, taking mind to step over the tree roots sticking up through the ground.

                On the other side, there was a large metal fence, and when he approached, he spotted a large white house. A mansion, he supposed, though it wasn’t spectacular. Well, the overgrown gardens were impressive; he had never seen something as beautiful as the ivy creeping up the walls, the crumbling stone pathway leading to the door that the plants seemed to conceal.

                He kept wondering why he was being drawn here; the door was open far enough to squeeze through. He was sure that the structure was abandoned… so he saw no reason not to enter the dusty building.

                Within the foyer was run down furniture, and a crumbling staircase was across the room. He crossed the room to look out the window on the other side; the back yard was in worse array than the front. The sun… didn’t seem to be sinking any lower…

                A chair screeched across the floor. Akio whipped around to face the sound; more of the strange, yellow-eyed shadow creatures: but these were accompanied by larger creatures. The others shared yellow eyes, but that was where the resemblance stopped. They more resembled each other, particularly the symbols on their chests.

                He had seen that symbol before; he had drawn it. “These are Heartless?” Akio said in dismay. He wasn’t sure how he knew that. Long ago he had heard of them, but he had no reason to know what that symbol meant; he never had before.

                Regardless, Akio didn’t have time to keep pondering it and drew his Keyblade, blocking the creatures as they pounced on him and sending them flying. All things considered, he thought he was doing pretty well; but there were too many of them for one person to fight. “Well this sucks,” he groaned as he destroyed yet another. He wasn’t ready to give up just yet.

                Another shape appeared out of nowhere and joined in combat, attacking the Heartless. A person; Akio knew there wasn’t time to question it, and he didn’t have a chance to pay attention to the details. The two of them still had to get rid of these stupid creatures. With the help of an ally, though, the fight was far easier, and he didn’t take it for granted once the last creatures were gone.

                “Are you okay?” another male teenage voice asked once the dust had settled.

                Akio’s vision snapped over at the familiar voice. The person he saw confirmed his suspicions. Silvery blue hair, turquoise eyes looking concerned on a face to which the emotion seemed unfamiliar. Akio knew this person. “Haru?”

                “Akio?” Haru asked in return, tilting his head. “What are you doing here?”

                “I could ask you the same question,” Akio replied. He was still cautious; he knew Haru, but he didn’t _know_ Haru, and he didn’t know whether to trust him. “I honestly don’t know how I got here; your guess is as good as mine.”

                Haru smiled. “Well I’m just glad to see a familiar face; I don’t know how I ended up here either.” He started to walk over; Akio couldn’t prevent the step he took back. Haru didn’t seem to notice. “I just walked through a door. I was in a weird empty space. There was a giant one of those monsters there. Once I fought it, another door appeared, and when I went through, I was here.”

                “Weird; the same thing happened to me, but I ended up on a clock tower.” He tried to relax; it had been ages since he had spoken to Haru. This was something to be happy about, right?

                The two had been friends before Akio’s parents had left, along with Riku, Haru’s father. Eventually, after Akio’s grandmother died and he ended up with his current legal guardians, they had been forced apart. They threatened Haru’s mother and forbade the friends from speaking. They didn’t listen at first, but that didn’t turn out well for Akio. When Haru saw the bruises, he ended the friendship to try to keep him safe.

                Nevertheless, the two boys shared a silent understanding that no matter what happened, they would be friends. Seeing Haru’s kind face made Akio feel safe in his presence.

                Haru walked over and looked Akio in the eyes. “You look like hell washed over,” he said with a frown.

                “Gee, thanks,” Akio replied with a roll of his eyes. “You know me; what did you expect, a picture of health and wellness?” Haru frowned, and Akio regretted his words. “Sorry.”

                Haru shook his head. “I’m glad you got out of there.”

                Suddenly, Akio was pulled into a hug. “What the—“ he squawked, but he returned the embrace a bit awkwardly. It was nice; he hadn’t been hugged in a long time, and as unfamiliar as it was, it wasn’t uncomfortable.

                “It’s just so good to see you!” Haru said.

                “It’s great to see you too,” Akio agreed, ending the hug since Haru didn’t seem to be thinking to. “And to be able to talk to you for once.”

                Haru took a step back. “They can’t hurt you here.”

                “Anyway… how have you been?” Akio asked trying to divert the attention away.

                Haru chuckled. “Okay I suppose. I can’t really complain.”

                “I guess we can catch up now,” Akio noted. “I mean, we’re sticking together, right?” He was surprised by his own words, but…

                Haru’s eyes brightened. “You want me around?”

                Akio rubbed the back of his head. “Um… why wouldn’t I? You’re my best friend—“ he paused. “Well, I mean, I consider you mine anyway. I… I guess I’m making assumptions.” He looked away. “If you don’t want to hang around me, I understand.”

                Haru’s face lit up with a smile. “Of course you’re my best friend, Akio!” He was nearly bouncing with enthusiasm. “I’m not going to leave you alone. I can’t tell you how much I’ve wanted to talk to you.” He laughed before pausing. “By the way, who taught you to fight? You were really holding your own back there.”

                “Honestly? I was kind of ‘winging it,’” he admitted. “I didn’t have any clue what I was doing; I’m just glad it worked.”

                “Well, for no practice, that was pretty incredible.” His grin had yet to fade.

                Akio raised an eyebrow. Haru was just so… positive. “Uh…” Akio began, “not really. I mean, all I was doing was holding them back. I would have crashed and burned if you hadn’t shown up.”

                “You would have been okay,” Haru argued, “but I’m happy to help.”

                “Thanks.” Akio looked around the shadowy room. “What now?”

                “Well, do you have any idea what those ‘things’ are?” he asked.

                Akio shrugged. “I have a hunch; I think they’re Heartless.” He sighed. “You know, those things that our parents fought a long time ago?” He was surprised to pull the memory out of nowhere; pleasantly surprised, though.

                “What?” Haru blurted. “I thought those things were gone!”

                “Beats me. I didn’t really get a chance to talk about that stuff.” Akio looked at the ground.

                “Oh—“ Haru frowned. “I wasn’t— I mean, I didn’t think about it. I’m sorry.”

                Akio looked back up. “It’s okay. I’m used to them being gone. I miss them, but it doesn’t hurt to remember they’re not around.”

                “I know what you mean,” Haru acknowledged. “It’s been so long since I’ve seen my dad.” He stopped. “But let’s drop it, right? What are we going to do from here?”

                Akio shrugged one shoulder lazily, having to pull the sleeve back into place. “I have no idea. I mean, where do you think we are?” He looked more closely at Haru; his dark clothing had gathered some dust in the fight.

                “I think this is Twilight Town,” Haru said. “I remember my mom telling me stories about other worlds, from what Dad had told her; Twilight Town sounded like this. The mansion, the clock tower, the sunset; it all lines up.”

                Akio sighed. “Maybe. But…” He took a deep breath. “I have no idea how we ended up here. Why do we suddenly have Keyblades; and how did we end up in the same place? I mean, what are the chances?”

                “I don’t believe in coincidences,” Haru agreed. “But this is a good thing, right? It got you away from home. There must be some purpose to all of this.”

                “You’re probably right.” Akio tugged the strings of his hoodie tighter. “There has to be some reason that we ended up here. Maybe we just have to find out… but how?”

                “I guess we keep exploring this place,” Haru decided. “We were drawn here to this mansion. There must be something important here, right?”

                Akio nodded. “We just have to look around.”

                “Yeah!” Haru headed towards the stairs, pausing to look back at Akio. “Let’s go this way.”

0o0o0

                Akio rushed up the stairs ahead of Haru; the stairs seemed fragile, but they were sturdy enough that he wasn’t afraid. He reached the top of the staircase and looked around. “This seems to be the only door,” he noted, pointing towards a double door to the left down a hallway. He started walking towards it.

                “Wait up!” Haru called from behind. “You don’t know what could be in there! We need to stay close to each other.” He ran to catch up, and together, they quickly made it to the door. “Let me go first,” he insisted, shoving his way in front of Akio.

                Akio crossed his arms in annoyance. “Why?”

                “Because,” he began, “I’ve had lessons on fighting. You said yourself that you’re ‘just winging it’.” He laughed nervously.

                Akio shrugged. “I guess that makes sense…” He tugged his sweater back on his shoulder and tightened the hood strings in hopes that it wouldn’t slide off of his shoulder so easily.

                Haru seemed relieved that Akio didn’t argue. “Right; so let’s go.” He pulled the door open and looked through. “Looks like the coast is clear.”

                Akio followed him into the room. It was rather unsettling; everything inside was plain white, even a vase on the center table and the flowers within. The only color was found in sloppy crayon drawings taped to the wall. “This is weird,” he commented, turning in a circle to see every detail. He was a bit bothered; it felt like he had been there before. His eyes focused on an empty doorway leading to a staircase down into a dark room. “Let’s go that way,” he suggested as he walked towards it.

                “Seriously, wait up!” Haru yelled from behind as he rushed to catch up again.

                Akio cautiously descended the stairwell; surprisingly, the stairs were metal rather than wood as in the rest of the house. This staircase was long and steep, and the air around them was stagnant and cold.

                When they reached the bottom, they were in a dark room with strange, fancy computers; but stranger than that were the ‘pods’, things like out of a horror movie. “What. The. Hell?” Akio whispered, freezing with just enough room behind him for Haru to step off the stairs.

                “Whoa,” Haru said in awe. “What is this stuff?” He walked across the room to one of the computers. “This is so dusty; I would be surprised if it works.” He tripped on a chord and fell onto the keyboard. The screen lit up at the action, the computer waking up from a long sleep. “Maybe… maybe it does,” he noted as he got back to his feet.

                Akio came over, but he didn’t offer a hand to help Haru up; he was a bit distracted by the glowing screen. “I can’t read it though; it seems corrupted.” The letters looked like they were melting and flying across the screen too quickly to keep up with, no matter how much he tried. “This is so weird. I’ve never seen anything like this!” He watched a moment longer, eyes filtering out a few words after all: Heartless, Nobody, darkness.

                Something else caught his eye. “There’s a door over there,” he announced. “Let’s move on. We can always come back here.”

                “Yeah,” Haru agreed. They walked towards the new doorway, the door sliding open as they approached. He jumped back. “What in the world?” he asked in shock.

                “This technology is weird; I haven’t seen this kind of thing back on the islands,” Akio stated. He was positive he had never seen such, yet… there was a familiarity to it all.

                They continued into another sterile, dark and silvery blue room; this one was large and had grid-like tiles on the floor. When they reached the center of the room, Akio heard a strange click from behind. He drew his Keyblade and turned to face the sound; more Heartless. “Again?” he muttered, annoyed by the inconvenience.

                “Let’s do this,” Haru said, bringing his sword out of wherever Keyblades go when not in use.

                The ensuing fight was a bit lengthy, but the enemies were slow and defeated with little circumstance. Once they were gone, another door opened across the room. “This way next?” Akio guessed. He moved towards it.

                Haru was only a few steps behind.

                The next room was full of more computers. These seemed even more complicated than the previous ones. Akio approached one, tapping a key in hope that it would respond. The screen lit up at the action.

                The screen was full of text, and thankfully, these words were stationary and properly formed. He read the message silently and quickly:

_“If you see this, you may be able to help us,”_ it began. Akio swallowed in concern. _“I don’t know how it happened: the Heartless have returned now, and we have no idea why. We, the Keyblade Masters, went to investigate, but we found nothing, and everyone started disappearing one by one. I was the last to remain. I couldn’t find the others; I couldn’t even find my friends…_

_“But that’s not the point. I’m going to the World That Never Was. It has returned, and I have a feeling that I will find everyone there. This is my last stop before I go, and I don’t know if I can make it back… but maybe, if you find this message, you can help us. If you have managed to make it all the way here, you might be strong enough. There is a Gummi ship at the top of the clock tower that you should be able to use.”_

                There was a large empty space before a final bit of text.

_“If this is Haru… I need you to know this: I love you so much. Please be careful if you take on this task. I’m sorry that I never made it back home…”_

                It was signed: _‘Riku’_

                “What?” Akio gasped, pointing at the screen and poking Haru on the shoulder. “Look!”

                Haru quickly turned his head to read the message, his eyes slowly widening as he read the text. His jaw dropped as he read the end. “My dad wrote this?” he marveled. “We have to find him!”

                In Akio’s opinion, this was where things got weird; Haru looked like he was about to cry. “Hey! Calm down!” Akio ordered, grabbing his shoulders. “We’ll go search for him, but you have to calm down!”

                And then Haru _did_ begin to cry from the stress. There was hope, regardless of how bleak it seemed. Akio was left to wonder where all of Haru’s positivity went.

                Akio looked around nervously. “It’s going to be okay,” he stated awkwardly. What was he supposed to do? People didn’t normally act like this; what did someone do when this kind of thing happened.

                He decided on a hug. “It’s going to be okay,” he repeated.

                They stayed like that for what felt like a long time, Haru sobbing on Akio’s shoulder, Akio feeling awkward standing there and hugging his friend; but Haru finally calmed down a let go. “Sorry about that,” Haru muttered, looking embarrassed. “That was just really overwhelming.”

                “It’s okay. I understand that it had to be weird to read something like that; you haven’t seen your dad for so long, and he needs help, so that’s got to be weird.” Akio was clueless as to what to do, but he was trying to be a good friend, whatever that meant. “I mean, it was strange for me to see too. A shock, really.” Akio smiled awkwardly.

                “Thanks,” Haru said. “You’re awesome.”

                Akio looked away. “Not really.”

                “Yes you are!” Haru argued. “But I’ll drop it for now.” He sighed. “Let’s get out of here and find that clock tower!”

                Akio nodded. “I know where it is. That’s where I started at.”

                “Cool!” Haru led the way out of the mansion.

                They were exhausted by the time they made it outside. “We should find somewhere to rest,” Akio suggested. “We shouldn’t try to figure out how to work some kind of strange ship right now; I wouldn’t want to crash somewhere.”

                “You’re right…” Haru frowned; he was impatient. “But I don’t think the mansion is the place to stay, what with all of the Heartless around.”

                “There’s a woods up ahead.” Akio pointed to the opening. “We need to go through it anyway.”

                “It’s as good as anything.” Haru sighed and followed as Akio led the way.

0o0o0


	4. Emotions

Chapter 4: Emotions

0o0o0

                The fire only served to keep them warm as the sun had yet to set. Haru glanced across the dancing flames, studying Akio’s gaunt face; his eyes were sunken, his skin was tight against his cheek bones. His white sweater was far too large for his thin frame. He seemed so tired, so sad; yet determination glimmered in his bright blue eyes, and Haru was glad that that remained even after all of the years that had passed.

                For so long, so many years, he was forced to watch Akio’s suffering from the distance, only rarely able to help from behind the scenes. He had to be careful. He had to stay away, for Akio’s safety. He knew that Akio would be punished severely if he were even suspected of any contact with his friend. It had become harder to stay away as the years passed. Catching quick glimpses of cuts and bruises when Akio rolled up his sleeves in the hot halls of the school without a thought before he noticed; seeing him slowly starving in the past year, wasting away to the state in which he now was. It was hard to stay away when Akio needed his help so badly.

                Haru didn’t know why it had to be this way. He had never understood why life had given Akio such pain.

                Haru looked away when Akio noticed he was being watched. “What’s wrong?” Akio wondered with worried eyes. “You were looking at me funny.”

                “Nothing,” Haru quickly replied. “I was just lost in thought; I wasn’t staring at you. I was just staring in general.” He smiled. “Don’t worry about it.”

                Akio shrugged and his sweater slid down his shoulder; he quickly tugged it back into place and tried to tighten the hood strings but they were as tight as they could go. “Whatever,” he said. “I’m going to try to sleep.” He stood up from where he sat and went to the make-shift beds they had created. “Goodnight.”

                Haru grinned. “Goodnight; I’ll put out the fire when I head to bed.” Seeing Akio standing, it became even clearer how emaciated he had become. The observation made Haru cringe.

                Akio didn’t reply; he just lay down.

                Haru stared at the fire once more. Why had he always been so quiet about things? Why couldn’t he have been there for Akio, his best friend for all of eternity? He remembered that promise at least, however distant the memory may be.

                Haru looked down at his hands; the comparison only accentuated how skeletal Akio’s were.

                He had always watched Akio from afar, seeing how he grew and changed. Slowly his happiness was sapped away, and now the smile that used to remind people of Sora’s was gone. Haru had constantly pestered his mother, begging that they take Akio away from his aunt and uncle, but she always had some excuse: she had tried, she would say. She claimed there were laws preventing it, though Haru knew that Akio could have been adopted by her when his grandmother died. She ‘would be accused of kidnapping.’ ‘He would be safer if they stayed away’, she said even after Haru pointed out the bruises that only grew more obvious as time passed.

                And eventually, Haru knew all chances were gone when his mother remarried. His stepdad wasn’t so bad, but he didn’t give a damn about Akio; he was ‘not their problem,’ and Haru stopped mentioning it at all after the man grew annoyed at the mention of the name. It was a terrible feeling; Haru was disgusted that he was only a child and was helpless to protect his friend.

                Of course, Haru knew there was more to this situation than was on the surface. His feelings of unease and worry had other causes. He felt so stupid: Akio would never feel the same way. Haru shook his head. Why did he have to be such a sap? They hadn’t spoken to each other in years, until earlier. But there was something about Akio that Haru couldn’t help but love; it had been so from the distance, but it was far stronger now that they were given this chance to interact. That love had been what made it so miserable to stand back and watch him suffer but now…

                Now they were together again, after all of this time. Akio had kept his promise and come back.

                Haru had told himself when he ran across Akio fighting the Heartless that he would forget those feelings; that he’d put it aside so they could be friends as they had sworn to be so many years ago, so that they could stay together. Surely he could get over it, right? It was a crush from afar. It would pass…

                So he had thought, but the more Akio spoke, the more he simply _existed_ in his presence, the more he fell in love with all that was Akio. The bravery of his soul that held strength to this day after so much suffering; the way he smiled, like a rare ray of sunlight breaking through the storm-clouds; the way he tried not to seem nervous but it was obvious from his body language, crossing his arms like he was cold. It all made Haru want to hold him and protect him from anything else that might ever hurt him.

                Of course, his appearance was attractive as well. His eyes were the most beautiful blue, his crimson hair falling in his face in front of them… and that smile that Haru couldn’t get out of his mind. And on top of it all, Akio’s compassion, how he had hugged him though he was uncomfortable and held him close to comfort him anyway when he was so overwhelmed… It was impossible not to fall more deeply in love. Akio was so kind, so sincere; bar none, Haru thought that Akio was the best person he had ever known.

                Haru couldn’t help but wonder why it had to be this way. Why did he have eyes only for someone whom he hadn’t even spoken with for ten years, someone who surely didn’t and never would feel the same? How many people, girls and guys and beyond, had Haru turned away while knowing he had no chance? It sucked. He couldn’t say anything now, no matter how much he wished to. They needed to stick together to stay safe and to find their parents. He couldn’t scare Akio away with something so strange… _creepy_ even. It wouldn’t be safe for either of them to go their own way, and they would never find their families.

                _Really,_ Haru thought. _Why does it have to be this way? Why can’t I have normal emotions rather than this weird sentimental bullshit?_ Why couldn’t he push his feelings away, if only for a while; and how was he going to keep hiding it?

                He shook his head, deciding he should go to bed and stop worrying about it. Sitting there moping and feeling sorry for himself wasn’t solving anything. He felt pathetic; absolutely pathetic.

                He poured water over the fire before walking to the sleeping area. Akio lay there asleep, uncovered and shivering. Haru put and extra blanket over his friend. He scooted his bed a bit further away from Akio’s, aware that it would feel awkward to be so close. He settled in to try to sleep.

                Of course, it couldn’t be that easy. He couldn’t get his eyes to close; he was staring at the orange sky that never seemed to change when he heard a small noise.

                He turned to look at Akio, only to find that the noise had been him whimpering in his sleep, curling even more tightly into a ball under the blankets. _Should I wake him?_ Haru wondered, soon deciding it would be best. He couldn’t leave him like that, suffering in some nightmare.

                “Akio?” he attempted to wake him; it didn’t work. “Akio?” Haru gently nudged his friend…

                Suddenly a fist collided with his face, causing him to yelp in surprise.

                “Oh my god, sorry!” Akio said, wrapping his arms around his chest nervously. “Sorry… sorry!” He turned his eyes to the ground.

                “It’s alright!” Haru insisted. He held a hand up to where he’d been hit. “Really it’s fine. I started you.”

                “No, it’s not okay. I shouldn’t assume that I’m in danger…” Akio grabbed Haru’s hand, moving it away to see the injury. “Geez, I’m so sorry. Are you hurt?”

                “I’ll be fine,” he insisted; but the words stuck in his mind… assume he was in danger? What the hell had those bastards been doing to him?

                But then another sensation caught his attention; he was touching his hand. His heart was fluttering… he had to calm down; it was just a friendly gesture! He laughed nervously. “You’ve got a good right hook!” Maybe one day, Akio would be comfortable enough and he might tell him what those words meant. For now, he wouldn’t pressure an answer.

                Realization of what he had said crossed Akio’s face. “Oh my god; did I really just say that I thought I was…?” He looked down. “Geez, I’m sorry. I’m sorry I hit you.”

                “It’s okay. It’s really okay.” Haru smiled. “Don’t worry about… But you know, you can talk to me about anything— anything at all—if you need to.”

                “I’m fine—really, I am!” He shook his head. “But thanks…” He slowly calmed down, his body becoming less tense, his breath softening. “I’m sorry for punching you. It was totally uncalled for.”

                “Seriously, stop worrying about it!” Haru insisted.

                Akio lay back down. “I’m going back to sleep, then.”

                “Okay,” Haru replied. “Goodnight then, I guess.”

                “Night,” Akio muttered, curling back into a nervous ball.

                Haru stared at the sky until he heard Akio’s breathing settle into an even pattern of sleep. He glanced over at his friend… this was going to be harder than he thought.

0o0o0

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Red alert: Haru has a stepdad.


	5. Flight

Chapter 5: Flight

0o0o0

                Akio had no way of knowing what time he finally woke from his fitful sleep. The sun was unmoved from the stationary sunset. Sitting up and looking around, it took several seconds for him to process where he was. This world was so strange, so different. How could a sunset remain regardless of how much time passed? Well, it didn’t really matter, he supposed; time is just a construct anyway.

                He looked over at Haru. _Geez that was embarrassing._ Had he really overreacted so much that he punched his dear friend in the face when he barely nudged him? Was he truly that afraid of being hurt when he went to sleep? He groaned, shaking his head. He knew that he couldn’t change the past, but how was he supposed to face his friend after something like that? It’s not like he could leave over what truly was a small issue. It wasn’t safe for either of them to be alone; they needed to stay together. And… he had to keep his promise. He had to find Riku for Haru.

                He pulled his necklace from his jacket; a Wayfinder. He smiled at the sloppily made charm; it wasn’t even made from the right kind of shells. He had made this one, and one for Haru, long ago. It was a gift for Haru’s third birthday, before anyone had gone missing. Maybe it was weird to carry it around after so long; it was unlikely Haru would remember anything about it.

                Akio had wanted their hearts to be connected; he wanted them to always be together. Maybe… maybe Haru was who he was supposed to protect. Was that why he had gotten his Keyblade?

                Either way, he didn’t want to be alone anymore. It was nice having someone there. The charm only did so much; he put it away. It was always with him, even in the worst of times, but a charm is just a charm. It was silly that it was the reason he had survived; a shoddy symbolism for a friend when needed. It was funny how that hope ended up being true.

                Haru was still sprawled out on the ground asleep; he had thrown off his blanket at some point. Akio blinked at a thought that crossed his mind. Haru was… cute? _Wait… what?_

                Now he was even more embarrassed. Really? Reunited with his best friend after all of these yes and suddenly he found him ‘cute?’ Surely it was some kind of weird interpretation of happiness, but as he watched Haru yawn, stretch, and sit up while rubbing his eyes, he couldn’t stop the thought of how adorable he was from entering his mind again.

                Haru looked around before his eyes settled on Akio. “Good morning,” he mumbled sleepily. “You still okay?”

                Akio nodded. “Yeah; don’t worry about me.” He was doing his best to stay composed: no reason to let it become a big deal, right?

                Haru shrugged. “You’re my friend; I’m going to worry about you.”

                “I _guess_ I’d be the same way,” he said while stifling a chuckle. They stared at each other for a moment, an awkward silence growing between them. Akio broke it. “We should get going then. No time like the present.”

                “Yeah. They’ve been waiting long enough.” Haru smiled and stood up.

                “Do you…” Akio looked down. “Do you think my parents could be there too?” He had to ask… he knew the odds were against them that they would find anyone at all, let alone everyone.

                “We’ll find them.” Haru nodded. “Don’t worry.” He extended a hand to help Akio up.

                Akio stared at the hand for a moment before accepting the gesture. It would have been rude to ignore or refuse it, regardless of how strange it was. “Yeah; we will.” He tried to smile through the lie.

                They left their camp behind and started towards the clock tower. They walked beside each other, closer than Akio was used to being around people… it was uncomfortable, but he knew he had to ignore it.

                “So…” he began, “What’s a Gummi ship anyway?”

                “My mom mentioned them once;” Haru replied, “they’re one of the few ways to travel between worlds… Sadly, that’s all she ever said.”

                “Well, at least it’s something.” Akio kept an eye on their surroundings. They passed so many people without being noticed; did these people notice _anything?_ But… he was thankful. It would have been hard to explain how strangers had ended up in such a small place as this. It seemed smaller than the islands! Surely there weren’t many people coming and going. Everything was confined to a single town. It felt like it was segmented away from everything… but maybe that’s how all worlds felt once you have seen others.

                They entered the train station, the room noisy around them. “It’s this way,” Akio explained and headed towards the staircase to the top. He looked back to make sure Haru was following before he climbed the steps.

                When they reached the top there were no signs of a ‘Gummi Ship’… though, they didn’t know what to look for. There still was no sign of any vehicle at all.

                “I mean, how long has it been?” Haru admitted while staring at the ground. “It’s probably gone by now.”

                Akio wasn’t about to let that frown stay in place. “We can’t give up!” he insisted. “Maybe we have to trigger something. It would be hidden, right? Otherwise some random person could have taken it.”

                “You’re right!” Haru’s face brightened.

                Akio looked around; he spotted an odd opening in the center of the clock’s face. “Is that… a keyhole?” He raised an eyebrow as he pointed at the area.

                “A keyhole?” Haru looked. “That’s strange,” he agreed, confirming Akio’s assessment. “Maybe this is the sign?”

                Akio approached the opening. “What about these?” He conjured his Keyblade. “They’re giant keys, right?” It felt like a dumb question, but he didn’t know anything about Keyblades, so how could he know?

                Haru summoned his weapon as well; the Keyblade was simple silver shaped into a more delicate form that Akio’s. “Maybe we can use these then,” Haru offered, “but how?”

                _No shit, Sherlock._ Akio barely stopped before saying that. What had Haru thought he was implying? Well… Regardless, he chose to be polite. His usual nature could make his friend not like him.

                He silently directed the tip of his sword at the symbol, and when he did a bright beam of light emerged and connected with the lock. “What the—“ He almost jumped backwards, barely stopping himself from falling off the ledge. Had that actually worked?

                He heard a click, like the sound of a lock opening. A doorway appeared in front of them.

                “That… was weird,” Haru gawked. He shook his head. “I guess we go through there?”

                Akio nodded; he was equally shaken. He took a deep breath and opened the door.

                Haru walked through first. “This place is strange,” he said as he stepped to the side.

                That was an understatement; the room was filled with computers much like the basement, but that wasn’t the strangest part. That title belonged to the object in the center of the room: something that vaguely resembled a rocket made of toy blocks. “If that’s the Gummi ship,” Akio said dully, “it doesn’t look like it will fly.”

                Haru moved closer. He looked over it up and down. “It has engines. It has to be.” He walked over to a ladder leading up into the shop. “Come on; it’s not like we have any choice but to try it, right?”

                Akio hesitated. “You’re right,” he admitted. He proceeded towards the vessel. “This _is_ the only thing that could be a space ship… it looks like a giant toy, though.”

                The interior of the ship was filled with technology that was more advanced than would be guessed from the exterior, and the cockpit was larger. There were several soft cushioned seats. It at least wasn’t _un_ comfortable. “This isn’t too bad,” Akio observed.

                Haru nodded with a nervous smile. “So…” he began. “How do we fly this thing? And where are we going?”

                Akio cautiously touched one of the many keyboards. It lit up with what seemed to be a map. “Well…” he hesitated. Where _were_ they going? “Your dad’s message said that he was going to The World That Never Was.” He shrugged. “I don’t know where that is.”

                “We don’t even know how to control this stupid ship!” Haru complained.

                Akio looked around for controls. He picked up an object that looked a bit like a video game controller. “This looks like a video game; I can try to fly it.” He smirked. “I’m pretty good with piloting games.”

                Haru grimaced. “You’re crazy,” he decided, “but I don’t have any other ideas. I don’t know what to do… I just hope you’re right.” He shook his head. “Hopefully we won’t crash and die a fiery death.”

                Akio laughed. “Thanks for the confidence. I feel _so_ much better.” The sarcasm was clear. He picked up the controller. When he did, an opening that resembled a portal appeared in front of them. “Let’s go.”

                Haru frantically searched the cabin. “There aren’t seat belts!”

                “Oh, don’t be a baby. We’ll be fine!” Akio insisted.

                With simple movements, the ship started easily, and the controls were fairly straight-forward. When they passed through the portal they came into an empty void.

                Haru looked back, pointing down at the town beneath them. “I think it worked!” He seemed to relax.

                Akio gazed down at the glowing world below in awe. It was so… so small.

                He shook his head. “Well then… we don’t have time to waste!” The ship accelerated. “Let’s go!”

0o0o0


	6. Detour

Chapter 6: Detour

0o0o0

                Without the sun or moon to guide their way, there was no sense of time or distance. It felt like they had been flying forever and they had seen nothing. Akio was beginning to fear that they were lost, though he would never admit it, and he wasn’t sure where to go next.

                Ironically, while the thought rushed through his head, something finally appeared before the ship. It was not something helpful, at least in the direct sense. “The path’s blocked,” Akio stated. A strange orange barrier blocked their path; it was transparent, but it was luckily visible. There was no sign of a way around. “What now?”

                Haru looked out the window. “What the hell is that?” Akio shrugged, and Haru shook his head. “Didn’t we pass a city a while ago? It looked like one at least, but I couldn’t tell.”

                “You saw something and you didn’t say anything?” Akio yelled.

                “Well, um, it was really far away…” Haru said sheepishly.

                Akio sighed. “Which direction?”

                “I… I don’t remember,” Haru admitted. “I can’t navigate like this, with no landmarks. I couldn’t begin to tell you where we were.”

                Akio rolled his eyes, turning to face a screen next to him. “Maybe we can figure out this map thing. I mean, we’ve already tried, but…” Akio touched the screen and it lit up. The blips on the monitor were placed differently from before. “I think that’s us,” he said, pointing at a blinking red dot. There was a larger light behind their current position. “I guess that could be something. Do we head that way?”

                Haru sighed. “What else can we do?”

                Akio tried not to yawn as he turned to the controls but he was exhausted. He wanted to see land again, to be able to touch solid ground… and part of him, no matter how small, longed to feel the familiar sand beneath his feet and to feel the salty tropical breezes coming off of the sea. He shook his head. “Well then… let’s go,” he said in a tired voice.

0o0o0

                It was a long while before they came across the world, but when they did, Akio couldn’t help but wonder how he had missed it. There was a colossal castle of gold shimmering high above a small city. The city itself was composed largely of grey stone pathways and simple wooden houses. It seemed like a pretty average village, though the architecture was unlike he had ever seen on the islands. Akio was left to wonder why it all seemed so familiar.

                He slowly landed the ship in a small wooded area. “Well…” he looked through the cockpit. “This is it.”

                Haru yawned. “I’m tired… Should we rest here? I mean, we have no munny to pay for an inn.” He stretched.

                “Sleep sounds good to me,” Akio agreed.

                He couldn’t sleep at first though; instead he stealthily watched Haru fall asleep. His friend seemed so peaceful and so relaxed. Akio wished that he knew what they felt like…

                But Haru’s breathing had a calming effect. He’d never watched anyone sleep before. It was fascinating. Did he look that happy when he slept? Was that how people are outwardly when they aren’t awake?

                He shrugged and closed his eyes, lulled into sleep by the slow rhythm of his friend’s breathing, all thoughts of stress and sadness gone.

0o0o0

                Akio woke up and stretched while yawning. He looked around; it took a moment to remember his surroundings.

                Haru was still asleep, but when Akio stood up, Haru seemed to hear the footsteps.

                “Good morning,” Akio greeted his waking friend.

                “Morning,” came Haru’s sleepy response. He covered his eyes and hesitated before standing and looking around. He sighed. “Well, I guess we should find out where we are.” His stomach growled. “Too bad we don’t have any munny for food…”

                “I didn’t think to bring any with me when I left home.” Akio laughed nervously. “But let’s go. Maybe if you start moving you’ll forget about being hungry.” He wondered if the use of the word _you_ rather than _we_ went unnoticed, but Haru didn’t respond.

                They climbed out of the ship. Once they were on the ground, Haru looked absolutely lost and sighed. “What direction do we go?”

                “Your guess is as good as mine,” Akio said sheepishly… because somehow he felt like he knew exactly where to go. Though he was confused by this, he began walking. “Let’s go this way.”

                Haru followed without question, and the forest quickly ended in a beautiful square courtyard with flowers near the center. “Well this place is nice,” Haru commented as he walked forward.

                Akio scanned the surroundings for anything unusual. “It is very nice,” he agreed. “I think we lucked out.” As he said the words, a beam of light emerged from the ground below him and quickly faded away, accompanied by a beeping sound. “What the hell was that?” He jumped back.

                “I don’t know.” Haru was frozen in fear as he was surrounded by a similar phenomenon. It too disappeared without incident. “Let’s keep moving,” he said quickly and started walking again.

                Akio came to a halt as he heard a loud noise behind them. He wheeled around. “The heartless are here too?” he asked in confusion. He summoned his Keyblade. Haru did as well.

                “We can handle them,” Haru said, back to back with Akio.

                As the heartless attacked, the pair managed to fight off every blow, and the strange lights seemed to aid them. It was odd, but Akio wasn’t about to question it; any help they could get was appreciated, even from unidentified light anomalies. After all of the heartless were gone, Akio saw people approaching quickly.

                Akio rushed to hide his Keyblade. He didn’t feel like it should be well-known that he and Haru possessed the weapons. He nudged Haru with his elbow. “Hide your Keyblade,” he whispered.

                “Oh!” Haru did without further hesitation. He turned to see what Akio was facing. He stared for a moment. “Do we run?”

                “No! They might follow us and ask why we ran!”                 

                They were approaching too quickly for any other decision to be made anyway. There were two women and a man, all middle aged. One of the women had a long brown braid; the other had shorter, darker hair. The man had shoulder length brown hair, slightly spiked, and eyes that seemed suspicious of everything around them, always seeking anything unseen. All of them held weapons, and all of them had the looks of powerful fighters.

                The long haired woman reached them before the others, and Akio got a feeling that she had been sent first if only because she was the least intimidating. “Are you okay?” she asked the duo.

                Akio looked at her, then over her shoulder at the man who seemed to judge every movement, but Akio wasn’t overly bothered by it. “We’re fine. Don’t mind us,” Akio said calmly. “We’ll get out of here, don’t worry.”

                “What?” Haru whispered. “What are we going to do?”

                “You don’t have to leave,” the short haired woman said. “We just wanted to make sure you were okay! You were surrounded by heartless.”

                “Seriously, it wasn’t a big deal,” Akio insisted.

                “We were just trying to figure out where we were,” Haru added as he walked to Akio’s side.

                The man shook his head. “How did you get Keyblades?” His glare held less and less trust by the second.

                “Um…” Haru began, but Akio held up a hand to shut him up.

                Akio wasn’t entirely sure what he was going to say… but why not go with his usual default. It usually sent questions away. “Depends on who’s asking.” He adjusted his stance to a more confident one.

                The man narrowed his eyes, but the serene woman put a hand on his shoulder.

                “We’re the Radiant Garden Defense Committee!” the dark haired woman explained. “We wanted to find out who you are, because there haven’t been any Keyblades around here in at least ten years.” She shrugged. “They’re dangerous to anybody, let alone people your age.”

                Akio stiffened. “We can handle ourselves.” He took a step back. “Besides: how can we trust you? We don’t know who you are, or how you know about Keyblades! You could be with the heartless!”

                Haru spoke up. “Um, Akio; I think we’d better trust them.”

                Akio looked at Haru like he was crazy before turning back towards the interrogators. “…Fine.” He relaxed his shoulders. “Can you at least tell us your names?” The stern man seemed to relax as Akio did; perhaps he didn’t seem like a threat anymore.

                “I’m Aerith,” the woman in pink said,” and this is Yuffie and Leon.” She smiled in an attempt to lighten the mood.

                “Okay then,” Akio acknowledged. “I’m Akio.”

                “I’m Haru,” said his friend. “Uh… what else did you want to know?”

                Akio rolled his eyes; he was worried about how direct Haru was, but all snapping would do was escalate the situation, so he stayed quiet.

                A few rain drops fell from the sky. “Why don’t you come with us,” Aerith offered. “It’s starting to storm.”

                Akio wanted to refuse, and he knew his body language showed it; but Haru put a hand on his shoulder to interrupt him. “Sure,” Haru agreed. Akio gave him a brief scowl, but he nodded.

                Aerith smiled and began leading them towards town.

                “Hey,” Haru whispered. “I think we can trust them.” Akio opened his mouth, but Haru continued. “Besides, we can get away if they’re not, right?”

                Akio shook his head as he saw Leon move behind them. “I’m not so sure…” He tried to keep his voice steady.

0o0o0

                The house to which they were brought was nothing fancy, but it was quiet and nice. Akio stayed in a state of hyper awareness; heartless or other attackers could come from anywhere even if they _weren’t_ being accompanied by strangers in a strange world. In Akio’s mind, awareness was one of the few good traits he possessed, but he couldn’t trust people. Until Haru showed up, he didn’t see that needing to change. People were horrid creatures that were just as likely to hurt each other as any monster would any day.

                Haru was far more relaxed; he couldn’t understand, at first, why Akio was so defensive. He hadn’t been with him! But he began to understand by the time they walked through the door. He said nothing.

                The interior was small with few furnishings. Three simple couches and a coffee table stood within the living room. A computer sat in the corner, and it was the only thing out of place. Akio refused a seat when it was offered for fear of a hasty retreat and Haru did the same while wondering why.

                “So,” said the more relaxed Leon. “How do you have Keyblades?”

                Akio looked at him warily. He still didn’t trust him. He had been so suspicious of them; why should he trust someone who didn’t trust him?

                Haru answered nervously, “Well, I was given mine by my father when I was a child.”

                They all looked at Akio for his answer. “Same,” he relented after a long pause.

                The Defense Committee waited for them to continue. When they didn’t Aerith offered a calm glance. “Who are your parents? How did they have Keyblades?”

                Haru laughed nervously. “My dad’s name was… or rather, _is,_ hopefully… Riku. Akio’s parents are Sora and Kairi.” Akio elbowed him. “Ow,” Haru complained.

                Yuffie smiled. “I thought I recognized that scowl!” She looked at Akio. “It looks exactly like Sora’s!”

                Akio felt his mind relax on that note. They knew their parents, and heck, they even compared him to Sora. Akio fought a grin, rolling his eyes instead.

                “You know them?” Haru asked enthusiastically.

                Leon seemed to calm completely. “Oh,” he said, rubbing the back of his head. “Uh, we didn’t know that they had kids.”

                Haru shrugged. Even he was a little intimidated by Leon. “…You wouldn’t happen to know where they are, would you?” he asked.

                Akio elbowed him again and turned to face him. “We don’t even know how these people know them!” he protested.

                “Hey, calm down, Akio.” Haru gently punched him in the shoulder. “They aren’t going to hurt us.”

                Aerith raised her hand slightly. “You don’t know where they are?”

                “No,” Akio said slowly. He was anything but calm, but his facade of anger was dropping. “We don’t.”

                Haru tried to ignore his friend’s sudden change in demeanor. “They left when we were very young; we were both four at the time. They never returned.”

                “Oh no,” Aerith worried.

                Leon shook his head. “We were worried, since the heartless are back and they haven’t shown up…” He paused. “There’s no point in telling you guys to go home, I’m guessing?”

                Akio stiffened. “I’m sure as hell not going home!” he growled.

                Haru gave another nervous laugh and looked at them all apologetically. “At least not until we find them.” He put and hand on Akio’s shoulder only to have it shoved off.

                “Whatever.” Akio turned to leave. “I’m out of here.”

                Haru grabbed his sleeve to stop him. “Akio! We can’t go anywhere anyway!”

                “We’ll figure it out,” Akio said between gritted teeth.

                “We’re not going to make you do anything,” Aerith insisted calmly, but her voice was full of concern. “We just need to talk to you about the heartless. Right?”

                “Right,” Leon agreed, trying to sound comforting; but it was obviously not his strong point.

                Akio sighed, turning around and stepping back to beside Haru. He crossed his arms nervously after pulling his hood strings tighter. It always seemed to be cold whenever Akio was upset; cold and numb. He looked away from the Committee. “Sorry.”

                Haru let go of Akio’s arm, but he was more concerned than ever. He hadn’t understood why Akio was acting like that… but now he saw that the sarcasm and anger covered fear.

                “You don’t need to apologize,” Aerith insisted.

                “Akio?” Haru asked warily.

                Akio didn’t respond. He _couldn’t_ respond. He was frozen. So he managed to shake his head and concentrated on biting his cheek to ground himself.

                It felt like forever that he was stuck like that; it always did, and it always felt like people were staring. In this case, they really were. When he finally could reach his voice he took a deep breath. “I’m fine,” he said quietly.

                No one made any more comments on the matter; as much as Aerith wanted to comfort him, it was obvious to her that it would make things worse.

                Instead, she said, “We don’t know how or why the heartless are back, but we can tell you what we know about them.”

                “They are those without hearts,” Leon explained. Akio held back a sarcastic comment. Leon continued. “They gather hearts in search of their own.”

                “I’m guessing you know what they look like, so I won’t bother explaining,” Yuffie commented, “but as long as you have those Keyblades, they will follow you.”

                Leon muttered, “Why is it always kids that end up with those things?”

                “Maybe we’re the only ones who can,” Haru huffed. “It’s not like we can’t take care of ourselves. We know how to fight.”

                “Yes, you do,” Aerith agreed. “It’s just sad that you have to. You should be out there being kids, going to school, being with your families, having fun.”

                Akio didn’t respond and simply returned to biting his cheek. How could be respond, anyway?

                “That can wait,” Haru said after a pause. “Once we find our parents, we can do all that stuff.” He still seemed to be waiting for Akio to say something.

                Akio changed the subject. “What were those light things, by the way?”

                “Those?” Yuffie smiled. “They’re the defense system; they keep most of the heartless in control!”

                “That’s actually kind of cool,” Akio replied.

                Haru’s stomach growled. He looked embarrassed. “Um… would you guys happen to be willing to give us some food? We don’t have any munny…”

                Yuffie laughed. “Of course!” She led them to the kitchen.

                Akio breathed a sigh of relief at exiting the room, but he heard Aerith and Leon speaking quietly on the way out. “What happened?” Yuffie wondered.

                “Panic attack,” Leon replied. “I’ve seen that before.”

                Akio stopped paying attention. They were right, and there was nothing he could do to go back and make it so it hadn’t happened. They expected someone like Sora, he was sure. And… he just wasn’t. He wasn’t a ray of light in peoples’ lives. He couldn’t live up to that. If they expected that, they’d be just as disappointed as everyone else was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is where things start to get a little more interesting...


	7. Compassion

Chapter 7: Compassion

                Akio pushed the soup around in his bowl while watching Haru scarf down his food. He couldn’t stand the scent of the dish, even though he knew it should have smelled good. It had good ingredients, and Haru seemed to be enjoying it… but Akio was the opposite of hungry. He sighed and put down his spoon, having not taken a single bite. He knew it was rude, but he couldn’t even think of eating. He just wasn’t hungry… as usual.

                He wanted nothing more than to leave this annoying house with these judging people who expected him to be something he wasn’t. He couldn’t fake a smile, and his sincere smiles were few. Most of the time, like now, Akio really wanted to punch something or scream. He wanted to break something; the destruction wasn’t as satisfying as pain would have been, but at least it was more natural than sitting there in front of a plate of food.

                How was it that someone like him, who seemed to have so much darkness within them based on stereotypes, could be so afraid of darkness within others? He felt like he could see it, and within most people it was overwhelming. He knew there was light within them. He knew that there was light within himself, though it was too dangerous to let it show. Even just showing it around Haru was risky; he should stop. Haru knew his weaknesses now, and while it seemed he would never turn his back on him, there was always a chance. He hated that the thought was even in his mind; it was a terrible thing to think.

                Why couldn’t he just trust him? Why couldn’t he believe? He wanted to believe in the light within Haru so much: he had always hoped that someone, somewhere there was capable of things like compassion and love, capable of kindness not abuse… So why couldn’t he believe?

                And he had panicked out there; why had he done that? He shook his head in defeat. When he looked up, Haru was watching him with obvious concern. Though Akio knew it wasn’t the only reason, he pushed his food towards Haru. “You can have that,” he said quietly. His full voice wasn’t even back, much to his frustration.

                Haru left the dish in place and stood up, looking across the room. He walked past Akio before returning to the table with a plate of cookies in his hand. He sat them in front of Akio with a smile. “Do those look better?”

                Akio was confused. Was Haru not judging him? He wasn’t forcing him to do something, offering an alternative due to concern, not acting like he would push it? Were some people actually nice like that?

                Akio stared blankly at the cookies for a moment before picking one up and examining it. He cautiously took a tiny bite, and it actually tasted good. He took a bigger bite. “…Thanks,” he muttered as he looked up at Haru.

                Haru shrugged. “No problem.” He left it at that, returning to eating his soup.

                Akio glanced towards the door as he heard it close… apparently it had been cracked open… apparently they had been being spied on. He shrugged and tried not to be upset. If they wanted something to use against him, they already had it. He sighed and nibbled on another cookie. They really were delicious. Maybe he could actually eat these.

                It wasn’t like he made a conscious effort _not_ to eat, he just didn’t think it was worth the effort _to_ eat. That was why it was so strange that he slowly ate the entire plate, and that’s why he was ashamed. But, at least Haru wasn’t staring. He was too busy devouring his own food. There was no judgement…

                Maybe, just maybe, he could trust Haru. Maybe he finally could have a friend.

                …But he sure as hell wasn’t going to trust those prying adults.

0o0o0

                Haru stood up. “You can stay here if you want,” he said to his friend. “I’m going to go and see if I can find anything out about that barrier.”

                Akio appeared to consider his options. “I’ll stay here,” he agreed. From what Haru saw, he was still too upset to handle coming with him to face the Defense Committee.

                “I’ll be back.” He smiled and headed through the door into the living room.

                Aerith looked up from talking to the others. “Is everything okay?” she asked.

                “Yeah,” Haru said. “I was done eating, and Akio wasn’t, so I came to talk to you guys while he finished.” A slight lie, but not a harmful one.

                She sighed. “Is he okay?” she worried.

                Haru blinked. “Of course. What do you mean?”

                Yuffie spoke up. “He seemed so upset!”

                “Oh,” Haru acknowledged. “That.”

                “And he wasn’t eating anything…”

                Haru’s smile disappeared. “You were spying on us.” It wasn’t a question. He wasn’t that stupid.

                “…Sorry. We were just concerned,” she apologized. “Why did he panic earlier?”

                “Even if I knew, it wouldn’t be your business!” Haru said in outrage. “It’s not mine to tell, and even if it was, there’s no reason I should have to tell you.”

                Leon paused. “We just want to help.”

                Haru shook his head. “You know what? So do I; but I won’t tell you anything. I don’t think he’s used to trusting people, and he’s just now starting to trust me. I can’t take that away. He needs someone he can trust; everyone does.”

                “We’re just worried,” Yuffie argued.

                Haru clenched his teeth for a moment before relaxing his jaw. “No. You have no idea how much I’ve wanted to approach him over the years, to help him. But I couldn’t, and now he’s free. Maybe this whole thing, maybe the Keyblades are the best possible thing that could have happened.” He took a deep breath. “He’s finally free to do what he wants. I know you guys want to help, and I know it’s standard to say that ‘we should go home’ because ‘we’re kids’; that’s not an option here. Okay?”

                They looked at each other and slowly nodded.

                Haru was satisfied. “Good. So what if he seems so angry; everyone wears masks. It doesn’t take a genius to know these things. It’s common sense. What is it with adults? You have masks too, you know,” he paused. “I’m not trying to be disrespectful,” he added when he saw Leon’s unreadable expression.

                “It’s fine,” Leon said.

0o0o0

                Akio stared out the kitchen window. These people; they seemed to care, but they didn’t want to help _him._ They surely just expected him to be like Sora, right? That much was obvious. They didn’t want little broken Akio, and he could never be anything like his father.

                Akio knew that he was only a weak, scared child. It was true that he was brave enough to survive in the mess that was his home… and more recently to leave… but he was terrified of everything; the darkness within and without. That fear was strength and a hindrance. Caution was an asset, but fear led to distrust. Distrust led to interactions like occurred a short while ago. Then people thought he wasn’t worth their time, and in some ways, he thought that was a good thing. Most attention was unpleasant in his experience, so it was better to be ignored.

                He saw something in the corner of his eye. His eyes wandered to a candle on the center of the table. The wax was dripping down; it had been lit for a while, having burned brightly before they entered the room.

                He was like the flame—burning brightly, dangerous yet capable of doing good… and with one false move, he or the flame could burn down this building, this town. Yet, if extinguished now it would be simple to prevent the spread. The fire in his heart was having time to burn and grow now that he was far from home. No one had put out the little flame flickering quietly in the corner. It was a wonderful feeling; and yet, he was frightened.

                Akio looked down at his shaky hands. After a moment he listened carefully to make sure no one was coming into the room. He rolled up his sleeves. The bruises were fading, not being replaced by the same hits. The cuts were healed now, though the scars were still prominent, and part of him wished he could open them once more. But the healing was good, and he knew it. He quickly rolled down his sleeves. He had been distracted. There wasn’t time to do the very thing that used to calm him down.

                But the flame was tempting; he could touch his arm to it and make a small burn, one that would go unnoticed. Burns healed with less scarring anyway. It would have been so easy to cover with his sleeve, just like the others. But… he stood up and blew out the candle instead. Crossing his arms like always, he walked into the living room.

                “So have you asked if they know how to get through that barrier yet?” he asked as he walked into the room. Everyone jumped at his voice. Apparently, they hadn’t expected him to come so soon. But… he did his best to ignore it; they were probably talking about him, and there wasn’t anything he could do about it.

                But Haru nodded. “They said we should be able to find something here to open it. It just has to be triggered.”

                “Cool,” Akio replied. “How are we supposed to do that?”

                “It’s hard to say,” Leon admitted.

                Aerith shook her head. “It has happened in many different ways in the past.

                “Of course.” Akio looked down. “I guess we’ll go then.” He looked at Haru while he walked to the door, hoping his friend wouldn’t try to stop him this time.

                “Sounds like a plan,” Haru agreed. He turned to the Committee. “Thanks for the food.” He rushed to catch up with Akio.

                “We can help you if you need us to,” Aerith offered.

                Akio shook his head. “We’ve got this.” He opened the door.

                “Good luck,” Leon said.

                “Thanks,” Haru said as he waved.

0o0o0


	8. Enemy

Chapter 8: Enemy

0o0o0

                “I say we go to the castle,” Haru suggested after several minutes of walking in confusion. “It’s the most obvious place, right?”

                Akio tugged his sweater back in place. “We have to start somewhere…” he agreed. But he was distracted. He felt like he had walked this path before, and it was unsettling.

                “So…” Haru looked over at Akio. “I don’t really know much about you.”

                Akio glanced over. “What’s your point?” he snapped. But after a moment he bit his lip. “Sorry.”

                “No worries,” Haru assured. He smiled. “The point is, we’re friends, right?”

                “Right.”

                “So we should get to know each other.” Haru grinned.

                Akio raised an eyebrow. “Such as?”

                “Well, I want to study physics when I graduate from high school…” he laughed nervously. “Though, things are kind of being thrown out the window, what with that gummi ship flying and swords that appear and disappear at will.” He shrugged. “What about you?”

                Akio had to think about that for a minute. No one had ever asked him that question. He knew what he wanted to do, but he had never thought that anyone might care. “I want to write a book.”

                “That’s cool. What about?”

                Akio shook his head. “I don’t know. Something fictional, probably. Maybe something about the stars.”

                “You don’t have any idea at all?” Haru looked surprised.

                “…Not really.” Akio looked away. “I never took the time to think about it. I know it’s a really vague idea.”

                “Huh.” Haru blinked. “So what—“

                “Shh!” Akio hushed Haru as he stopped and blocked him from walking. His eyes darted around until he spotted the source of the sound. Something was flying at them. He tackled Haru to the ground as a spinning blade passed directly over their heads. He jumped to his feet and prepared to attack.

                A man clad in black floated to the ground in front of them. He removed his hood as he did, revealing pure white hair, golden eyes, and a sinister smile. “Heh,” the man said as he flipped his hair out of his face. “I’m surprised to see a Keyblade, let alone here of all places.”

                Akio looked back to see Haru holding his. Akio followed suit, drawing his weapon from wherever they go. “What do you know about Keyblades?” he demanded.

                “ _Two_ Keyblades?” the man questioned. “I thought I had handled all of the—wait. Those eyes…” His scowl deepened as he stared into Akio’s eyes. “How could their children have Keyblades? They were far too young to have gotten them.”

                “Who are you and what are you talking about?” Haru asked as he grew annoyed.

                The man chuckled. “I am Origin!” he announced with pride. “I should have handled you when I had the chance, just like your parents. I don’t know why I had pity on you simply for your age.”

                Haru gasped. “What do you know about our parents?” Akio gripped his Keyblade tighter.

                “I got rid of them, of course. They were in the way.” He smirked. “They are not gone permanently though; they will soon be useful.” He switched to a defensive stance. “As will you.”

                Origin lunged at Akio, who blocked the attack; yet this man was more skilled in combat having more experience. Haru came from behind and tried to attack as Akio held Origin still, but the strike didn’t hit. The man relaxed the pressure on his sword in an attempt to fool Akio into lowering his defenses, but Akio knew better.

                “Stupid _children_ ,” Origin growled as he stepped back. “You’re not worth my time. I’ll let the heartless handle you.” A portal of darkness appeared behind him. “I have far more important matters to attend to than fighting weaklings such as you.” He entered the portal which closed behind him.

                Right on cue they were surrounded by a hoard of heartless. Compared to Origin fighting this lesser enemies was a snap.

                “Are you okay?” Akio asked Haru once the last enemy was gone.

                Haru nodded and smiled. “I’m fine. What about you?”

                “Same.” Akio looked down at the stone pathway ahead: it suddenly lit up with a design… a keyhole. A beam of light came from their weapons and they heard a click.

                Haru was silent for a moment. He was confused. “What was that?”

                “I dunno,” Akio admitted. “This whole situation is so weird. I mean, why would a keyhole suddenly appear?” He paused. “Or maybe that’s one of the ways that the Committee were talking about opening those barriers. What do you think?”

                “Your guess is as good as mine. We should check.” Haru shrugged and started walking back towards the forest.

                “We should rest when we get to the ship; I’m not really tired, but we don’t know how long it will be before we get another chance.”

                “Definitely,” Haru agreed.

                “Who was that Origin guy anyway?” Akio wondered.

                “I have no idea,” Haru admitted. “But he talked about our parents. We have to find him again and get more information out of him.”

                Akio nodded in agreement.

                After a few moments of walking, Haru grinned. “So anyway, let’s talk more. We should get to know each other better.” He was acting like nothing had happened.

                Akio was taken aback. “Um…” He decided to go with the flow. “Is that what friends do?”

                Haru shrugged. “Kind of. At least at first.”

                “Wild.” Akio shook his head. “Well, let’s go.”


	9. Pasts

Chapter 9: Pasts

0o0o0

                Haru followed Akio up the ladder and into the Gummi Ship. It was hard to see his friend in pain and so afraid even so far away from his previous problems. He wished there was something he could do; maybe being a friend was the place to start.

                But the baffling thing was that Akio didn’t seem not know where to begin the process.

                They talked about random things all the way to the ship; things like favorite colors, foods, music, etc. and the conversation was going smoothly. That was a relief. Everyone needs a friend, and Haru knew that. He was thrilled to be that friend that Akio needed.

                Haru was tired, and he was thankful when they settled in to the ship’s comfortable seats. He wasn’t _really_ tired though, and he wanted to keep talking. He wondered if he could get Akio to vent to him, maybe get some of the weight off of his shoulders. He had an idea of how to do it too: sharing his own issues. But he could wait, because Akio needed rest. He certainly wasn’t getting much energy from food. He leaned back in his chair.

                Akio turned to face him. “I’m not tired,” he stated.

                “Same.” Haru sat up. “We can still talk.”

                “Sure. I don’t mind. What do you want to talk about?” Akio looked wary.

                Haru paused. Was this a good time to start this conversation? And where could he begin? He sighed. “It’s good to be away from home, isn’t it?”

                Akio stiffened for a moment, but after that moment passed, he relaxed. “Yeah; it is nice.” He left it at that.

                Haru nodded. “I’m really glad to be away from my mom and stepdad for a while,” he admitted.

                Akio tilted his head. “Do you want to talk about it?” he wondered.

                “If you don’t mind,” Haru admitted. His plan seemed to be working so far anyway.

                “Yeah.” Akio nodded. “It’s fine.”

                Haru wasn’t going to push further with the whole _are you sure_ song and dance so he decided to roll with it. “My mom is really pushy,” he began. “She always has been. Like when I was little; she wanted me to learn how to fight and defend myself. That was all fine and well. A good thing in hindsight. But that’s all she wanted me to do. She made me train non-stop except to go to school and to sleep. Even if I was sick, she made me train.”

                Haru almost wanted to stop and say that he shouldn’t complain, but he continued. “I hated it. She wanted me to be just like Dad was. She even would say that ‘Riku would do this’ and ‘Riku wouldn’t complain over this training’; even things like ‘Riku would take this seriously’. It was like she forgot I was just a kid. When she knew my dad, he was an adult who had saved worlds.” He shook his head. “There’s no way I could ever live up to that. It was impossible. I’m just not the same person.” Akio nodded subtly, but his expression was unreadable. It sucked. It really sucked.

                Haru kept going. “After she married my step father, though, she doesn’t want me to do anything but study. She won’t let me train even when I want to; it’s like the moment I started enjoying it she took it away from me. They started saying that they don’t want me to get hurt; that I need to learn to do something safe and productive and not put myself in danger. She says she doesn’t want to lose me like she lost dad; well, at least she used to.” He looked down. He could never get her approval, and that hurt. “It’s like she never wants me to be happy. She wants me to be what she wants, and what I want is unimportant. I just want to be _me._ Not my dad, not my stepdad, not anyone else. Just me.” He sighed. “Now she doesn’t care one way or the other. I bet my problems sound stupid.”

                Akio shrugged. “I don’t think just because someone out there might have it worse means your problems are not just as valid.”

                “Huh?” Haru blinked.

                “It’s true,” Akio insisted. “Just because it could be worse doesn’t mean that it doesn’t hurt. Yes, you should be thankful for what you have, but that doesn’t mean you can’t acknowledge you have issues… that’s what my grandma would have said.” He shrugged. “People just need someone to listen.”

                Haru paused. “I bet you don’t get that much, but I’ll listen if you want.”

0o0o0

                Akio was beyond surprised. Surely Haru didn’t really want to hear him talk about his problems. Surely he didn’t want to listen to that. “…Are you sure?” he asked quietly. Maybe… just maybe it would help to put it into words.

                Haru nodded. “Of course. You listened to me.”

                Akio looked down at his hands. “I don’t know if you’d really want to hear about any of it.”

                “I’m not going to force you,” Haru assured.

                “I…” he sighed. “I don’t know where to start; there’s too much to tell.”

                Haru shrugged. “Start where it feels right.”

                “Okay…” Akio was beyond skeptical, but he trusted Haru. It might help, no matter how ashamed he may be.

                It took a while to find a good place to begin. “I guess I’ll start at the beginning.” Haru nodded to tell him to continue. “I remember when my parents left I felt like I was abandoned. I stayed with my grandmother for a while and things were good then. But… she passed away less than a year later.”

                Haru frowned. “I remember.”

                “But I stayed with my dad’s side of the family for a few weeks, but they were too busy to take care of a kid. They couldn’t fight it when my aunt and uncle on my mom’s side, where I am now, fought to get me.” He frowned. “They wanted me, unlike the others. They couldn’t have children of their own. I think that’s why people gave up, even though mom and dad requested that I was never under their care. They felt sorry for them.”

                Haru shook his head. “I didn’t know exactly how it all happened. I’m sorry.”

                “As terrible as things were at first, at least I knew I was wanted.” Akio leaned back in his seat. “But it wasn’t long at all until my uncle punched me for the first time,” he said bluntly. Haru looked horrified. “It was always over little things, like not cleaning my plate, not making my bed, breaking things. I could never do anything right.”

                He closed his eyes and took several deep breaths before he continued. “That went on for ages, and whenever I tried to stand up for myself, things only got worse. Once I tried to run away, but when they found me, they—“ He stopped. He didn’t want to talk about _that_ particular detail.

                “After a while I stopped fighting. I took the hits until they didn’t hurt anymore… and eventually it stopped because I was ‘keeping in line.’ I did everything they wanted. But I just wanted out.” He sighed. “I was always so lonely. They kept me isolated. And things stayed like that for so long. I eventually stopped doing anything at all.

                “But then the past few months, I started fighting back. I yelled back at them, defended myself; I stopped being afraid of them. I took the hits, the insults. There was nothing they could take away from me anymore.” Akio knew he was getting too upset. He was starting to get cold, so he crossed his arms. “Not even my parents. All I had of them were memories, and memories can’t be taken away.” He sat up. “And those memories that made me decide to get out, and that I actually _could_. I waited for my chance, and I took it. I was finally brave enough. I said I was going to the library and they didn’t stop me. Maybe it was fate, I don’t know.

                “That’s how I ended up on the little islet that night. I wanted to find more memories and to figure out where to go. I ended up in the Secret Place where I found a drawing that Mom and Dad made when they were kids. When I saw it, I knew I wasn’t going back. I had to be brave: like them.” Akio sighed. “I ended up leaving the cave and running into the heartless. I got my Keyblade and ended up in Twilight Town where you found me.” He felt so much better, but he had said all he could. There was so much more but… he couldn’t say it.

                “Thanks for listening,” he ended. “You’re a great friend.”

                “No problem,” Haru insisted. “You listened to me.”

                “Still…”

                “You’re welcome.”

                An awkward silence fell between them and Akio wanted nothing more than to find some kind of good memory to think about instead of the conversation that had just passed. Then it came to him. The Wayfinders. “I have a question,” he said. He regretted it, but it was too late to back out now.

                “What’s up?” Haru asked. He was trying not to let his sadness show.

                Akio reached into his hoodie and brought out his Wayfinder. “I know it was a long time ago, but do you remember these?” He held it out.

                Haru’s eyes widened. “Of course I remember those!” He pulled his out of his pocket. “I always keep it with me; we promised we’d always be friends when we shared these.” The biggest smile crossed his face.

                Akio was relieved. “I never take mine off. It reminds me that I’m not alone.” He put the necklace back on. “I know that sounds weird… sorry.”

                “It doesn’t sound strange to me,” Haru disagreed. “Mine has always reminded me that I will always have a friend.”               

                “Of course I kept it! I don’t break a promise.” He smiled. “Thank _you_ for never forgetting either.”

                “I always keep my promises.” Akio yawned. “ _Now_ I’m tired.”

                Haru laughed. “We can talk later; no worries.”

0o0o0

                Holding his Wayfinder to his chest, Haru stared up at the ceiling. He was trying his best to calm the anger in his heart. It was over now and he would make sure that no matter what happened Akio would never go back to that miserable hell-hole that he was forced to call home, or to the people who claimed to be his family. It would only be over his dead body that that would happen.

                Haru knew that his problems were nothing compared to Akio’s, and that was all the more reason to find Sora, Kairi, and Riku. If they were back, everything could be good again. Yes it wouldn’t be the same, but it had to be better than it was now. They could make sure Akio didn’t go back to his prison. Haru couldn’t do it by himself. Whether they liked it or not, they were just kids. They were a formidable force here there was only so much they could do back at home.

                Travelling from world to world was nothing compared than fighting the legal system. These trials that they faced now were nothing compared to what they would be up against should they ever go home.

                Haru heard Akio yawn from across the room. It was nice to hear his breath, especially in the knowledge that he had without words that the privilege had almost been take away. There were still a few good things out there, and Akio was a reminder of that. If someone like him could come out of that, then no matter what happened, things could change for the better.

                Maybe they would actually find their families alive somewhere. Maybe they’d make it out of this ahead. Maybe if things weren’t perfect they could still face the pressure together. Haru vowed to make that happen.

                He blinked at a thought. Akio always kept his promises… He had made one, long ago. “’They’re Wayfinders’,” he quoted quietly. “’As long as we have them, our hearts will find their way back to each other’.” He glanced over at Akio. “’No matter how long it takes’. He promised this. He promised that we’d always be friends… and that one day, he’d find our parents. That we’d be together again.” Haru sighed. “He promised he’d come back… and he did.”

                Haru stared back at the Wayfinder in awe. After all these years, he had kept that promise. Haru yawned and clutched the charm in his hand. He couldn’t change the past, but it was his turn to make a promise; he would improve the future.

 


	10. Nightmare

Chapter 10: Nightmare

0o0o0

_Akio was fully aware that he was dreaming but that didn’t change the fact that he couldn’t escape. He was running for his life in a world full of darkness. He knew that if he stopped it would all come to an end. He had this dream so frequently that he knew the path down to the last pebble. He knew what cracks to dodge to not fall, and he knew all of the right turns to make._

_The enemy was invisible but still he knew to flee. Once, he had turned his head and saw nothing but darkness. In this nightmare he always ran. He could never escape. This dream only ended in death: the darkness would catch up to him and swallow him up like he was nothing. He was always terrified. He felt like one day it wouldn’t be a dream anymore. He was afraid that one day it would really be over._

_Today was different. Being around Haru had given him confidence, and their conversation earlier had only solidified the thought that he could face this. He would take the chance this time. He had never had anything to live for, and he had always accepted that if he died it would only be the end of his torture. Now he realized that he did have something to lose: the hope of finding his parents. That was what had always kept him going. And then there was Haru. He couldn’t leave Haru on his own to face everything. Haru needed him._

_Akio had to beat this. He knew that this time he could win._

_He took a deep breath and closed his eyes before he turned around. When his eyes opened he was staring back at himself; or rather, a doppelganger. The eyes of the other held hatred and fury. The face that glared back at him spoke volumes: this being meant business and wanted him to be afraid._

_It was nearly a clone, though it had lifeless golden eyes that penetrated into his soul and hair of dull silver. Akio wasn’t afraid this time, and he honestly wasn’t that shocked. It was no news to him that he was his own worst enemy._

_The entity conjured a Keyblade in a puff of darkness before running at Akio. Akio raised his own Keyblade and rushed straight back at it. They fought, and each hit was matched by the others’. Neither was ready to give up any time soon._

_“I hate you so much,” it said. Its voice echoed off the walls sounding of the voices of many. “I hate you,” it repeated._

_Akio blocked a strike. “You know, I hated me too.” He stepped back to get more space to move. “But now I know that there’s no point.”_

_“You’re an idiot,” it mocked. “No one could care about you. No one could ever love you.”_

_Akio rushed the clone. “You’re wrong!” he argued. “Haru’s my friend! He cares about what happens to me!”_

_The shadow smirked. “Oh really? Then why did he talk to those adults?” It stepped back. “You know they were talking about you when you came into that room. And before that; he stopped you from leaving.” It darted forward. “Why would someone who cares do that?”_

_Akio slid out of the way. He was trying to ignore this monster that was created by his subconscious. “He knew it wasn’t safe for me to leave,” he explained. “He was trying to protect me.”_

_“But what if—“_

_“Shut up!” Akio screamed as he rushed back in for an attack. “I can make it no matter what! Even if he doesn’t care, I care about him!” The entity looked shocked and the attack finally met its mark. “And you know what?” The entity countered, but Akio blocked it. “I don’t hate myself anymore!”_

_The shadow ceased its attacks. Akio followed suit. They stared at each other. “Then why am I here?” the being asked quietly._

_“I think I’m ready to let go.” Akio took a deep breath. He relaxed his arms and lowered his sword to his side, as mirrored the entity. “I can love myself now. I’m not only darkness… It’s time to be free.”_

_The being nodded, sending its Keyblade back into the darkness. “I see.” It took a step forward. “You’ve finally learned…” It frowned when Akio didn’t retreat. “You do have light within you.”_

_Akio nodded. “I won’t forget about what’s happened. That darkness will never go away… but maybe it doesn’t have to control my life anymore.” He looked into the shadow’s shocked eyes. “I don’t hate you.”_

_It blinked for a moment. “Of course you don’t,” it said. “You aren’t me. There’s more to you.” Akio was startled by the sorrow in its voice. “You’ve always been the better one. That’s why I hate you. I have so much power, but you’ll always be stronger than me. You are light; you fight and you care whether you believe that you do or not.”_

_“I won’t say I’m sorry,” Akio told it. “But I know you’re a part of me that will never completely go away. But I want to be me now. I don’t want to hide anymore. I want to be… happy.”_

_“You’ve always wanted to be happy,” it argued. It extended its hand and touched Akio’s Keyblade. “Why do you think you have this?”_

_“Huh?”_

_“You’ve always wanted to be happy, and the key to that has always been to find them; to find your parents.” In a burst of light, Sora’s Keyblade disappeared. “Fear not; that Keyblade can go back to where it belongs now.” In the place of the old Keyblade was another, this one glistening black and white. It was more delicate and looked more fragile. “Borrow this,” it said. “This is yours for now. Once, it was mine, but you need it more. You still aren’t ready for your own.” The shadow stepped back. “You still have much to learn.”_

_“Well duh,” Akio agreed. “I can’t exactly learn everything in an instant.”_

_The entity chuckled. It shook its head. “You know, Akio; I’m glad to have met you.” Akio tilted his head. “I’ll always be here waiting. And the moment you give up—“_

_“Not today,” Akio interrupted. “And not ever. I’ll never give up again. I have to fight! I have too much to live for.”_

_The shadow almost smiled. “Keep that attitude. If it goes away you’re in trouble.”_

_A light began to glow behind Akio. He smiled. “I have to leave now.”_

_“I’ll always be here… waiting….” The entity backed away into the darkness._

_Akio turned to face the light in the distance. It was bright and powerful, and he was finally not afraid. Even if all else failed, even if he had to go back to his own personally hell… He could get out. He would survive._

_A voice was coming from the light. It grew in volume as he walked further into its glow._

0o0o0

                Akio woke up when he felt his fist hit something. His eyes fluttered open, and once again, there sat Haru holding his hand to his face where he had been hit. “Ouch,” Haru said with a laugh. “Good morning!”

                “Sorry!” Akio apologized. He moved Haru’s had to check the injury. “This seems to be becoming a pattern.”

                “I’m fine,” Haru assured. He was still laughing. “I should have learned not to wake you up like that.”

                Akio chuckled. “I think you’re right.” He let go of Haru’s hand.

                “Are you okay though?” Haru worried.

                Akio nodded and smiled. “I’m fine; better than fine.”

                “Good!” Haru grinned back. “Well… Once you’re awake we should get going. Time’s not standing still, after all.”

                “Yeah,” Akio replied. “I’m good. Let’s go!”


	11. Magic

Chapter 11: Magic

                “You know,” Akio noted, “I’m kind of worried. There are all these areas with absolutely nothing.” It was nice to be back on the move and nothing more blocked their path, but… “Are we lost? Or…”

                “The worlds can’t just be gone, can they?” Haru looked over.

                Akio laughed nervously. “Surely not. I mean, that would be too weird.”

                Haru’s eyes widened. “Actually,” he breathed. “My mom told me once about the last time the heartless were around. She said that the islands disappeared for a while along with everyone in them.”

                “What?”

                “They came back though. She never said what had happened,” he continued. “I don’t think she ever really knew.”

                “Well crap,” Akio muttered. “I hope that’s not what’s happened. If it is, our job just got a lot more complicated.” He ran a hand down his face. He was exhausted. He at least through that things were on the right track, but now it was looking more complicated than he could ever have expected.

                “Hmm,” Haru hummed. “Maybe when we find our parents they can figure things out. I mean, they’ve dealt with the heartless before. They’re Keyblade _Masters._ We’re amateurs.” He shook his head. “We certainly don’t have their skills.”

                “But what if it’s too late?” Akio worried. “Maybe we’ll figure out what’s going on while we’re searching.” Akio looked at the map. Being optimistic was hard. He was being rational. More than likely they would never find their parents let alone alive. They had been gone for a decade. That long without food or water… well, without magic they wouldn’t be alive, and he had yet to see evidence of magic existing. Keyblades seemed to border it, but it wasn’t convincing enough to him.

                “Cheer up,” Haru teased. “You’ve got to try to be positive about this. What’s the worst that could happen in the meantime?”

                Akio gave him a blank look. “I don’t think you really want me to answer that.”

                Haru stopped laughing. “Oh.”

                “I’ll try to be more optimistic.” Akio shrugged. He tugged his sleeve back into place. “But I’m a pessimist. It works out for me. When something good happens it’s a nice surprise.”

                “I suppose that’s one way to look at it,” Haru considered,” but then you’re just anxious all of the time, and that’s no good. I’ll be the optimist if you won’t.” He grinned.

                Akio half smiled as he looked out the windows. “There’s nothing on the map but I think I see something out there!” He pointed. “Maybe a world?”

                Haru looked. “It does look like a town. We should head that way. We can at least use it as a chance to get our bearings.”

                Akio agreed.

…

                The town was darker than Radiant Garden: that made sense though. With a name like ‘Radiant Garden’ one would expect it to be full of light at brilliant. Though the night sky loomed overhead the starlit town seemed peaceful… and regrettably, past it was another block in the road.

                “We have to stop here,” Haru resigned. “I’m tired of these detours; why can’t we get straight to where we’re going?”

                Akio rolled his eyes. “It’s not like we know where that is anyway.” He stood up. “Who knows; maybe there’s something here that will help us find our way.”

                “That’s a good point…” Haru took a deep breath.

                “Well then: let’s go!” Akio looked down. “But be careful. Who knows what could be down there?”

                “Relax,” Haru urged. He went over to the ladder. “There’s no sign of danger. You need to be less tense. You’ll drive yourself crazy.”

                Akio watched him climb down. “Or I’ll be ready for whatever happens!” he yelled as he descended.

                “Come on Akio. Two sets of eyes are better than one,” Haru insisted once Akio was on the ground. “You need to relax. Being tense can hide details, you know?”

                “That’s easier said than done,” Akio huffed. “I don’t see how that makes any sense.”

                “Things will be okay.” Haru reiterated. “We’ll protect each other, alright?”

                “Okay,” Akio grumbled.

                He was so much less anxious and Haru would never understand that. Things were different now. Things were better.

                He scanned the area. It didn’t matter what Haru said. He knew that there was always a chance that an enemy could be lurking, waiting for their next step. He would try not to obsess over it, but… it never hurt to be cautious. The coast was clear, though there were no people, let alone any heartless. If it weren’t for the bright lights and neon signs the town would seem empty and lifeless. As it was there didn’t seem to be anyone there to control them.

                It was like this world had appeared right in front of them. Nothing had been there until it suddenly was. The emptiness made Akio wonder if maybe it hadn’t been there at all before they reached it. It didn’t sound possible but they’d seen plenty of things on their journey that made it more believable.

                “There’s a sign over there,” Haru pointed out. “It says ‘Traverse Town’. You think that’s where we are?”

                Akio shrugged. He looked around. “You know,” he began, “I feel like I know this place. Traverse Town…” He paused. Where… “Oh! I remember now. I have a postcard back home of this area we’re in. It’s one of the few things I’ve been able to hide from my aunt and uncle that was my parents’.” He had been having so much déjà vu. It was nice to have a logical explanation for once.

                “Hard to say. Anything’s possible.” Haru shrugged. “I mean, we’ve at found out there are other worlds. I see no reason why there wouldn’t be one that one of our parents had shown us pictures of.” He chuckled. “We should get going. I hope you’re right and that we’ll find a clue.”

                “And maybe we’ll run into that Origin guy.” Akio put his arms behind his head as he walked. “I’d like to get more information out of him, you know? I mean, he mentioned our parents. He’s the only lead we have.”

                Haru stopped mid step. “You think we could take him?” he worried.

                Akio turned to face him, arms dropping to his side. “We were doing pretty well before,” he reminded him. “I can’t see why we couldn’t again.”

                Harun nodded. “Maybe…” he mumbled.

                “I thought you told _me_ to think positive!” Akio laughed.

                Haru rolled his eyes. “Very funny.”

                Haru caught up and they started walking again in silence up sets of stairs. They reached a set of double doors. Akio looked at Haru. “Ready?”

                Haru nodded and pushed the doors open. “Those were lighter than I expected.”

                Akio stepped over the threshold. He stopped. They were surrounded by heartless as the door closed behind them. “Well crap,” he complained.

                But he summoned his Keyblade. He was startled when he saw it. It was no longer his father’s blade but the one that he had been given in the dream. “Whoa,” he breathed.

                Haru looked over. “How’d you get a new Keyblade?” he asked; but he quickly redirected his attention. “Never mind. You can tell me later.” He dodged an attack.

                Akio moved in for a counter, but the enemies were swift. It was impossible to avoid taking a few hits here and there. “Damn it!” Akio growled. He swung his sword at an enemy, and to his shock a powerful current of electricity surrounded the weapon and hit multiple heartless. It finished off the last of the enemies. “Uh…” He was puzzled. What had just happened? He stared at the key in his hand. “I think I used magic?”

                Haru snapped his head to face Akio. “I actually saw that?” he marveled. “I thought I was imagining things!”

                “Nope. I really electrocuted those dumb monsters.” Akio carefully swung his Keyblade away from them to test whether it would happen again. It did not. “Weird.”

                Haru nodded; but when he looked at Akio, he swallowed. “You’re bleeding,” he stated.

                Akio shrugged. “So are you; but nothing seems too serious. We’ll be fine.”

                “I don’t know what we’d do anyway,” he worried. “We don’t have any medical supplies.” He looked down. “There I go, thinking negatively again.” He chuckled.

                Akio joined his laughter. “Maybe we traded attitudes.” He put a hand on Haru’s shoulder by a particularly deep wound. “Are you sure you’re okay?” A flash of green came from his hand. He quickly retracted it from Haru’s arm. “Did I hurt you?” he worried.

                “No. Actually…” He looked himself over. “I feel a lot better. Look.” He held out his hand where a scratch had been. “It’s healed.”

                “Huh?” Akio’s eyes widened. “How did that happen?”

                “I don’t know,” Haru said. “I think it was you that did it.”

                Akio blinked several times. “I used magic… twice.”

                “I’m definitely not complaining!” Haru insisted. “That magic will really help us out if you can figure out how to use it.” He paused. “I wonder if I can heal you.”

                “I don’t know…”

                Haru put his hand on Akio’s shoulder. “Did it work?”

                “No,” Akio said. He flinched and pushed Haru’s hand off of him. “It’s okay though.” He crossed his arms, and… the little pain that was there faded away. He looked down to find that he was glowing with the same green aura that had healed Haru before. As it faded his injuries were lessened as well. “Uh… That works.”

                Haru stared for a moment. He shook his head. “I don’t believe it. Magic is real.”

                “Eh, it’s whatever.” Akio shrugged. He pulled his sweater back into place on his shoulder and tightened the hood strings. “So many weird things have been happening. I don’t see another one being a big deal.”

                They continued on. They encountered many more enemies. Each group seemed to become easier to defeat as they learned the creatures’ attack patterns. But this town was so strange. It was dark and empty and it made Akio uneasy. Something about this place was disturbing.

                The feeling only grew stronger when they walked down a set of stairs into a courtyard and no more enemies rose from the ground. This place gave him chills, and the fountain behind them was more disturbing than anything else. The beautiful mosaic mural of a butterfly had a serene air to it that contrasted starkly with everything here. Akio knew that something was wrong here, and he knew when Haru walked over and put a hand on it something was going to happen.

                He wheeled around before he could fully process that there was a sound behind him. He was now face to face with a humongous heartless that looked like a suit of armor. The limbs and head were separate from the torso and moved on their own accord. The eeriness of this place now made sense. This place was truly a danger.

                “Haru!” he yelled to his friend.

                Haru turned around. He took a step back. “Wh-what?”

                Akio summoned his Keyblade. “Try to get up the stairs! I’ll hold it off!”

                “What about you?” Haru protested.

                “Once you’re up there you can distract him while I can come too!” Akio glanced backwards to see if Haru was listening.

                Thankfully he was; but that was only of so much use. When he ran for the staircase he was bounced back. “Do you have a Plan B?” Haru asked.

                “Yeah.” Akio narrowed his eyes at the heartless. “We fight!”

                He rushed at the monster with his Keyblade swinging. He focused; he wanted the electric energy from earlier to come back. Maybe if he concentrated hard enough…

                To his surprise the weapon became aglow with electricity and as he swung the sword it inflicted more damage.

                Haru attacked one of the limbs. “Hey!” he yelled as he dodged a swing of an arm. “Maybe these limbs are separate!” He hit one again and it disappeared, confirming his suspicion.

                “You attack them; I’ll focus on the center!” Akio called. Slowly but surely, the pair learned the patterns well enough to dodge attacks. The monster slowly fell away piece by piece, fading into nothing.

                Akio breathed again once the creature was gone. He leaned against a wall. He wasn’t used to so much movement, let alone fighting. His muscles were burning and he felt faint. He crossed his arms tightly around himself and the stinging of his wounds ceased before he realized it was there at all.

                “Are you okay?” Haru worried.

                Akio stood back up. “I’m fine.” He walked over to Haru and placed his hand on his arm. The cure spell worked once more. “Maybe I’m getting the hand of this whole magic thing,” he muttered.

                “Good!” Haru grinned. “It might come in handy; we can use any strength we can get.”

                Akio swallowed and nodded. “Let’s go this way.” He headed towards a new door. “We can’t exactly return to the ship. We don’t have time to backtrack.”

                “You’re right.” Haru sighed. “I really wish we could rest though.”

                “Me too,” Akio agreed. “But we need to keep moving. We’ve got to figure out what’s going on.” He turned to Haru. “We have to do more than just find our parents now. We also have to find out why the heartless are back. We have to stop them!” He kept walking backwards.

                Haru looked concerned. “Why’s that our job?” Haru asked. “I mean, we aren’t Keyblade Masters like our parents were. We’re just starting out!” He stopped. “Can’t they just do it when we find them?”

                Akio shook his head and walked back over to Haru. “We don’t know how long that will take! Who knows how much time we have?” He sighed. “Look, I don’t know what’s going on… but if we can figure it out while we’re searching, it’s better, right?”

                “…Right…” Haru looked down.

                “We can’t let the heartless destroy everything. We have to find out what’s going on.” Akio took a deep breath. “Besides; Origin seems to know a lot about the heartless. They’re connected. And Origin mentioned our parents.”

                Haru looked up. “So if we find him, we can fix both problems.” He smiled. “That makes sense!”

                “Right!”

0o0o0

                Haru followed Akio through the doorway, watching his body language relax. He didn’t know how he felt about the new addition to the plan but… he supposed it wouldn’t hurt anything as long as they didn’t change their focus. It was still more important for them to find their parents. Their parents could help them. But… it was only fair to let Akio have his input.

                Akio had changed. Haru couldn’t explain it, but he seemed a little happier, slightly more relaxed, and a bit… _brighter_ was the best word he could think of. He was taking charge now, and honestly Haru wasn’t going to complain about it.

                It was nice to see this change in his friend. They were growing closer and it was only becoming more miserable to see him suffer. Even so far away from the islands negative emotions followed Akio everywhere. Well, Haru could only guess that it was like the text books said: abuse leaves deep emotional scars that never disappear. He had always wanted to step in and stop it from happening. All he could do now was to be there for him now.

                Akio’s mood and energy improvement seemed to make him stronger. Haru was thankful for that. Their path certainly wasn’t getting any easier

                He wished that he could help more, though. Akio was the only one who could fly the ship, and he deserved a break. And now the magic thing only threw more responsibility on him. Still… Haru knew he could only do what he could to learn things about his Keyblade and try to find any hidden powers it might hold.

                Akio’s stride was relaxed. There didn’t seem to be any new enemies in this alleyway. There were little canals along the opposite wall. They were not very deep, wide, nor long. Haru followed the lines to an opening in the wall. “That looks like a good place to go,” Haru said as he jumped into the water. The shallow pool only covered his feet and ankles. “It seems suspicious enough.”

                Akio paused before following. “I don’t see any other place.” He looked around. “What’s the worst that can happen? A dead end? Who knows though; it might lead to something.” He started towards the opening. He paused when Haru didn’t follow. “Are you coming?”

                Haru slowly nodded and walked a few steps behind into the darkness.

                The waterway got deeper through the opening and they no longer could stay on their feet as they entered an eerily lit cave. They swam over to the rocky shore. “It’s good that we know how to swim,” Haru said as he pulled himself up onto solid ground.

                Akio snorted. “I guess so.” He looked across the water to the other side of the cave. Haru followed his gaze to a mural across from them. It was a sun, and it almost seemed like the dim glow was coming from it.

                Haru took a single step forward before stopping. “This place reminds me of the Secret Place… do you remember it?”

                “Yeah, it does,” Akio said. “It’s peaceful here.”

                Haru heard a pebble bouncing across the floor. He turned around. Akio was already facing the source, Keyblade drawn. The culprit: the mysterious man from before. Origin.

                “How did you half-pints end up here?” Origin growled. “One would have thought those heartless could have handled the likes of children.” He took a step forward. “Even if those small fry weren’t enough, the Guard Armor should have had no problem finishing you off.”

                Haru drew his weapon and prepared to attack, but he hesitated. “We’re tougher than we look!” he heard himself say.

                Akio glowered at the enemy. “What do you know about our parents?”

                Origin raised an eyebrow, glaring right back. Akio didn’t flinch. “Why should I tell you? It won’t matter; you’ll be joining them soon anyway.” The silver haired man summoned his saw-like weapon and threw it at the pair.

                Akio jumped up and knocked the blade to the ground. “Hmm…” Origin noted. “I find it hard to believe that you are as inexperienced as you are. Fascinating.” He pulled his weapon back. “The masters weren’t attuned to my attacks. They were easy prey, yet I can’t seem to get a bearing on you.”

                “Maybe you’ve lost your touch,” Akio taunted. Origin leapt towards him, but he jumped out of the way and tried to get in a hit while he was vulnerable.

                He had only grazed him, but Origin jumped back. He had a hand to his arm. “You managed to hit me!” He was shocked. “But—nothing can harm me! That’s impossible!” He glared at Akio.

                “You’re insane,” Akio stated as he struck the man again, this attack charged with electricity. It stunned him for a moment. Haru tried to take advantage; but his attack passed through as if nothing was there.

                Origin quickly recovered and made a hasty escape through a portal. Akio sprinted towards the area but Haru grabbed his arm. “He’s gone,” Haru conceded.

                The portal faded away. “Dang it—“

                “But you shouldn’t have tried to run after him on your own!” Haru interrupted. “You don’t know what could have happened.”

                Akio looked down. “I didn’t think about it… I didn’t want him to get away.”

                Haru felt guilty for sounding so harsh when he saw the look on Akio’s face; it was like he’d been slapped. “Akio…”

                Akio took a breath before he looked up. “What do you think he meant by ‘nothing can harm me?” He jumped right back in as if nothing had happened. “I mean, we obviously hit him, right?”

                “Actually, I never did.” Haru shook his head. “My sword went right through him.”

                “Oh.”

                “It must have meant something,” Haru said.

                “We have to find him and get more information.”

                “But where could he have gone?”

                Akio shrugged and returned to staring at the sun mural. He waded into the water. “I’m going to take a closer look.”

                “Be careful!” Haru followed him.

                “What happened to you being an optimist? There’s nothing to be afraid of.” Akio laughed. “In your words, ‘you need to relax’!”

                Haru chuckled. “You’re right. Sorry.”

                Akio shrugged. “It’s okay. I guess we’re dealing with things differently.”

                Akio walked up to the glowing wall and placed his hand on it. The glow subsided and exposed another keyhole. “This is all so bizarre,” Akio observed.

                Haru nodded. He raised his Keyblade to the opening. Akio mirrored him. A beam of light came from their weapons once more, and once more a click of a lock was heard.

                “We’d better go back to the ship and see if the path’s open,” Haru suggested dully. “The sooner we get going the better, right?”

                “Right,” Akio agreed and started walking to the exit. Haru followed slowly. He turned back for a moment to look at the wall. The mural of the sun now depicted the moon instead.

                “Are you coming?” Akio called. Haru turned and rushed to catch up with his friend.

                What might the future hold? Who was Origin? Why was this happening now? If nothing else, Haru knew one thing; he would protect Akio. Akio was his friend, and he wasn’t going to lose him again.


	12. Whimsy

Chapter 12: Whimsy

0o0o0

                It was a long time before Akio spotted a world in the distance. It was a strange place. It looked like something out of a cartoon. A castle overlooked what looked like an amusement park town. He raised an eyebrow as they approached. “This place actually looks pretty nice.”

                He looked across the ship at Haru. He was asleep. It was ‘his turn to rest’, though Akio never took time to do so since Haru couldn’t fly the stupid ship. At least he had talked Haru into resting when he had the chance. There was no reason that they should both be running empty batteries.

                He slowed down the ship and prepared to dock. Though there wasn’t a barrier to be seen, he needed to rest and this seemed like a safe place. “Haru,” he called quietly in attempt to wake his friend. Haru groaned and rolled over. “Haaaru,” Akio tried once more. Still no response; he finally shook him.

                “Whoa!” Haru yelled as he rolled off of the chair. He sat up quickly. “What’s wrong?” He scanned the room for danger.

                “Nothing’s wrong, dummy.” Akio pointed out the window. “We’re at a world, and I need to sleep. We’re stopping.”

                “Oh.” Haru looked down at the world below. “This place looks nice; and safe too.”

                “That’s what I thought,” Akio agreed. “But… you never know.”

                Haru laughed. “Oh come on. A place like this?” He shook his head. “There’s no way this place could be dangerous.”

                “Sometimes it’s not something you can predict.” Akio pulled the ship to a discreet place. “I’m going to sleep now—“ he began; but he saw movement out of the corner of his eye. As short search led to him spotting it—a giant heartless. It was as large as the one in Traverse Town and it was chasing a small crowd of people. “Maybe I can later.” He grabbed Haru’s head and turned it to face the sight.

                “Oh…” Haru breathed. He jumped up and headed to the door. “We’ll take care of this thing; then you can come back up here and rest. Shouldn’t take long, right?” He grinned and jumped out of the ship.

                Akio gasped and rushed over after him expecting to see him hurt from the fall. Instead he saw Haru bounce off of some sort of trampoline. Akio followed, bouncing off of the springy surface and landing on his feet. He ran to catch up with Haru, summoning his Keyblade as he did.

                They began attacking the creature. It was a giant cartoon car. It was bright purple with crimson and black stripes adorning the sides and the trademark symbol of the heartless on its hood. The grill seemed like an angry smile and the headlights were glaring eyes. To be honest, the appearance was hilarious to Akio, but it was too swift of an opponent for him to stop and laugh.

                Akio ran in for an attack. The creature turned and charged at him to counter; there was only a moment to dodge out of the way, but he managed to summersault to a safe landing. He struck it again with a lightning charged attack. Once the crowd noticed the fiend was distracted they ran to safety.

                Haru vaulted onto the roof of the car and plunged his Keyblade into it. A pillar of ice emerged from the sword and pinned the heartless to the ground. Haru rolled off the vehicle with a stunned look before he resumed attack. Neither of them had expected that to happen; but the car quickly broke free and wheeled around to rush at Haru. He dodged as best he could but he was clipped by the attack.

                Akio made a final rush in and with an electric strike the monster disappeared in a puff of darkness.

                He rushed over to Haru. “That ice thing was awesome, Haru.” He healed Haru’s wound.

                Haru laughed. “It was, wasn’t it? Very _cool._ ”

                Akio frowned at the pun before bursting into laughter.

                He looked around. The crowd was gone, but something was approaching in the distance. “Hey, look at that.” He pointed. It was actually a pair of people. As they grew closer, they appeared to be two women. Well… one of them was a duck and the other was a mouse. Both wore fancy dresses and crowns. “Uh…” Akio’s arm fell to his side and he stared.

                Haru was equally puzzled. “I don’t think those are heartless,” he stated. “Should we run?”

                “They’re too close now,” Akio acknowledged. He looked at his Keyblade. “Let’s hide these though, don’t you think?” In a flash of light the weapon disappeared.

                “Right,” Haru agreed. He sent his out of sight as well. They stood and waited for the ladies to approach.

                When they stopped before them, the mouse-lady spoke. “Excuse me,” she said in a quiet voice. “But I saw you have Keyblades; might you know where the King is?”

                Akio and Haru looked at each other before shaking their heads. “No… sorry,” Akio apologized. “But… how do you know about Keyblades?”

                “Oh,” the mouse sighed. She looked down at her clasped hands. After a moment, she looked back up. “I’m Queen Minnie,” she introduced. “Thank you for fighting that heartless.” Akio and Haru quickly bowed awkwardly, making the queen giggle. “You boys look very tired. Why don’t you come back to the castle with us so you can rest?”

                Haru looked at Akio, who shrugged. “If you’d like, your highness,” Haru decided. “Maybe you can tell us more about the Keyblades.”

                “I know a little about them,” she said. “I can tell you what I know once we’re back at the castle.”

…

                Eventually they all sat down in a large hall. They had been served an enormous dinner of wonderful food that left them feeling more refreshed; well, Haru seemed to be at least. Akio was still annoyed that he had been thrown more and more food to eat when he could barely gag down the first course in order to be polite to royalty. He had felt bad denying seconds… and thirds and fourths for that matter. But at least Haru seemed to enjoy the meal, and he didn’t give Akio the concerned look that the Queen and Duchess had.

                Regardless of that, they had finally left the dining hall and settled into a comfortable (but enormous) room that seemed to go on for days. At least the massive furniture was close enough together to give the illusion of smaller surroundings.

                Akio was exhausted, but he wanted to find out as much as he could while he had the chance. Rest could come later. “So,” he began once everyone was settled into the oddly large chairs. “Why did you ask us about our Keyblades?” He was a bit nervous to be so direct with questions to royalty, but they needed to know what was going on. Every bit of information was important.

                Queen Minnie sighed. “Well… Where to begin?” She was visibly concerned; the frown that she held seemed accustomed to her face. “The King, King Mickey, is a Keyblade Master.” Akio and Haru waited expectantly. “And he’s been missing for about ten years now.”

                “Oh,” Haru acknowledged. He frowned.

                “I was just hoping,” she continued, “that maybe you had heard from him.”

                Akio and Haru looked at each other. Haru cleared his throat. “Sorry… we haven’t. Our parents have been missing for that amount of time as well.”

                The Queen looked up in surprise. “Your parents?” she asked.

                Akio nodded. It was very odd; he felt like he could trust her. “Yes. My father was—er, is—Sora. My mother is Kairi.”

                “My dad’s Riku,” Haru added. “Like we said, they all left about ten years ago.”

                “Oh dear!” Daisy, the Duchess, exclaimed.

                Minnie looked even more worried. “It’s worse than I thought,” she conceded. “I suspected as much; we send Donald and Goofy to search for them to help find the King…” She looked down. “They never returned.

                Akio didn’t know what to say. He mirrored her actions. Haru shook his head. “I’m sorry…” he said.

                The Queen looked up. “Can you try to find them?” she requested, though she didn’t sound hopeful that they would.

                Haru nodded. “Of course! We’re looking for our parents anyway; they might all be in the same place!”

                Her face lit up like she found the hope she had lost long ago. “Thank you.”

                “You’re welcome!” Haru replied.

                Akio was skeptical, but… he agreed. He nodded.

                He tilted his head for a moment in thought. “Can you tell us anything about that Origin guy?” he wondered.

                “You’ve encountered Origin?” she wondered. “He’s who the King went out looking for when the heartless reappeared.”

                “Really?” Akio tried not to sound sarcastic (he succeeded.)

                “Yes,” Minnie recalled. “He said that Origin was the reason they had returned.” The worry returned to her eyes. “He believed that Origin was created from the memories of a foe they had defeated long ago: Xehanort.”

                “Xehanort?” Haru blurted. Akio couldn’t fully decipher the expression on his face. “As in, the guy who’s the definition of evil? The one that our parents fought when they were a little more than our age?”

                “Yes,” the Queen confirmed. “No one knows how Origin appeared so suddenly or why. But we do believe that he is controlling the heartless.”

                “But… I thought the heartless were gone,” Akio stated. The name ‘Xehanort’; it made him nervous. The name was familiar, yet he didn’t know who it was. It wasn’t like he knew much about his parents… maybe that’s why he was worried.

                “So did we;” she agreed, “but it seems that these are not like the heartless of the past. They don’t steal hearts,” she continued. “Rather, they seem like clones of the old ones. The King spoke to his master, Yen Sid, before he disappeared as well. They believed that they were just like Origin: a memory.”

                “How is that even possible?” Haru puzzled.

                “I’m not really sure,” Minnie admitted with a frown.

                “Memories can be as real as anything; sometimes they are even more real than physical things.” Akio crossed his arms. “They can cause more pain, more fear, and more hatred than the present. The more a person fears a memory, the stronger it becomes.” He stared up at the corner of the room. He didn’t notice they were all staring. “Maybe that’s what Origin meant when he was surprised that I hit him; he’s a memory. So technically he isn’t _real_ in the literal sense. But memories… memories are real. You can’t deny them.”

                “That doesn’t explain why you could touch him and I couldn’t,” Haru grumbled.

                Akio looked at Haru. “I have no idea… doesn’t make sense to me.”

                “You know,” Minnie began, “you seem to have an extremely good understanding of memories, Akio. You know things that I never would have thought of.” She studied him. He crossed his arms more tightly around himself and tried to move to a more comfortable position. “I wonder if because you realize how real memories can truly be, you are able to come into contact with them physically.”

                “That doesn’t explain why I can harm the heartless too,” Haru said with a shrug.

                “They don’t have enough consciousness to know they’re just memories,” Akio proposed. “I mean, who knows? I’m saying stupid stuff and you think it’s worth something.”

                “It’s not stupid,” Minnie argued. “It makes a lot of sense.”

                “She’s right,” Haru agreed. “And if your theory is true; now that I know he’s real I should be able to hurt him too.”

                “Hopefully?” Akio said with a shrug. He subconsciously pulled his sleeve back into place.

                Minnie giggled. “You two remind me of Riku and Sora,” she explained. “Each of you has habits of both of them.”

                Haru stiffened, but Akio immediately relaxed. Their responses were opposite; Haru hated to be compared to his father, but Akio loved to be compared to his. Akio felt a smile sneak onto his face, and he could tell that the Queen noticed.

                That aside, Akio had a question. “So who’s Xehanort?” he inquired.

                “You’re joking, right?” Haru started to laugh, but he stopped when he saw Akio’s face. “You’re not joking.”

                “Sorry… I know it’s stupid.” He looked down. “I just don’t know anything—Never mind. Don’t worry about it.”

                Haru looked guilty. “Sorry.”

                “I can tell you at what I know about Xehanort,” Queen Minnie offered.

                “…Thanks,” Akio eventually replied.

…

                The conversation was long and uncomfortable. It was so strange hearing those things… Akio almost felt like he had seen it all happen.

                “You both seem very tired,” Minnie said. “Why don’t you follow the brooms to the guest rooms; there should be two next to each other.”

                Haru grinned and jumped to his feet. “Thanks, your highness.” He bowed and started to follow the brooms.

                Akio crawled out of the chair and bowed as well. “Thank you very much.” He rushed after Haru.

                He heard the Queen and Daisy speaking as he left, but he didn’t stop to hear what they had to say. He didn’t care if they were talking about him, and there was no reason for him to be assuming that they were. He had conquered ever endeavor thrown at him so far. Even if they were making a few comments behind his back it wasn’t the end of the world.

                He was going to beat everything that life could throw at him. He was going to keep hope. He would find them all; his parents, Haru’s dad, the King, Donald, Goofy, anyone else. Nothing would stop him; not even the memories.


	13. Strength

Chapter 13: Strength

0o0o0

                Haru couldn’t sleep. That was all there was to it. The room was too large, the bed too comfortable, and he’d grown accustomed to the sound of Akio’s breathing lulling him to sleep. There had been nothing to do but to stare at the ceiling for hours. There wasn’t anything strange about it but he couldn’t get his eyes to close. Looking out the window hadn’t worked; they were too high up. He hated heights.

                Eventually he gave up on slumber. It was a losing battle and all it was doing was frustrating him which made it worse.

                …Well, he was _sort of_ hungry at this point. Eating after so long without had apparently reactivated his appetite. He sat up. The Queen had said that they were welcome to go to the kitchen if they needed anything. It couldn’t hurt, right? Maybe it would help him sleep. He stood up and walked over to the door, shaking his head as he went.

                When he pulled it open, he was met by a surprise: Akio was walking up to the door with a tray of cookies in hand. He froze when the door opened. “Oh— Hey Haru. I couldn’t sleep,” he whispered. “So I decided I’d get some food. I was going to see if you were awake too…”

                “Yeah. I am.” Haru grinned. “So you couldn’t sleep either, huh? Well come in. We can hang out and eat those cookies since you didn’t have any earlier. They’re amazing.”

                Akio shrugged. “Okay,” he muttered, perking up slightly. “If you’re sure, that is.”

                “Of course I’m sure,” Haru assured with a light chuckle. “I wouldn’t have offered if I wasn’t.” He moved out of the way to let Akio in.

                “Thanks,” Akio said with a small smile. Haru returned the gesture.

                They sat across from each other on the bed, plate of cookies between them. Haru didn’t know whether to say anything, but he was really glad to see Akio was eating. He hadn’t eaten much at the massive dinner. The food had been absolutely delicious; but Akio hadn’t seemed to enjoy it. He acted like eating was a chore.

                Nevertheless, he was simply going to enjoy the food and good company now. “So,” Akio asked quietly, “why couldn’t you sleep?”

                Haru hesitated. He was a terrible liar and would feel bad for lying. On the other hand, it could be pretty embarrassing to admit that it had been Akio’s absence preventing his rest. But what the hell could it hurt to say it? “To be honest, I’ve gotten used to hearing someone breathing near me while I’m falling asleep. It’s comforting to know that there’s someone nearby, you know?” He grinned nervously.

                Akio shrugged. “That was pretty much my problem too,” he admitted. “I’m getting so used to having someone around. Having an extra set of eyes and ears is nice. Knowing that someone is alive is a relief too.” He smiled slightly back. “It’s so funny. When we first found each other and started traveling together, I had the opposite problem. I always thought something was coming to get me when I heard you breathing after I’d been asleep. It’s weird how much things have changed.”

                Haru nodded. “Yeah, it is. But I don’t think that’s a bad thing.” It was nice to know he wasn’t the only one who was thinking that.

                “You know,” Akio began after swallowing a bite of cookie, “this probably will sound weird, but I feel like I’ve gotten stronger since I’ve been around you.” He shrugged and pulled his sleeve back into place.

                Haru was amazed that Akio would be confident enough to admit that without even looking embarrassed. Haru would have been. But he couldn’t wait long to respond or else things would probably get uncomfortable. “Well, I feel the same way. Having a friend has helped me relax and grow. Knowing that someone’s there for you renews your faith in humanity.”

                “You’re right… I’ve never had a friend before.” Akio smiled. A full smile. “Thank you for being my friend, Haru. You’re really awesome.”

                “No problem!” Haru grinned. His heart was fluttering at that beautiful and elusive smile. “We’ve always been friends; but it’s different now that we can talk to each other. We watch each other’s backs now. And it’s nice to be able to be around you.” He paused. “You’re pretty amazing yourself, you know.”

                “Nah,” Akio denied. He grabbed another cookie. “I’m not that great.”

                “You’re better than great,” Haru disagreed. “You’re an incredible person and I’m glad to have you around.” Akio opened his mouth to say something, but Haru interrupted. “And you’re not winning that argument!”

                Akio chuckled. “Fine. You win.” He looked into his eyes. “Thanks Haru.”

                “You’re welcome.”

                They sat in silence for a moment, each lost in their own thoughts. “You know,” Haru remarked, “it’s almost like we’re each other’s strength. I mean, we can do alright alone; but together: together we can handle almost anything.”

                “Hmm… I think you’re right,” Akio agreed. “But you know that means we have to stick together, right?”

                “Well duh,” Haru laughed. “You’re not getting away that easily,” he teased. He immediately regretted his phrasing. It sounded pretty weird.

                Akio simply laughed. “You aren’t either!”

                Haru grinned. Even if they meant it in different ways, Akio hadn’t taken it possessively. He understood that kind of thing more easily than anyone Haru had ever known.

                Haru looked down at the empty plate between them. “Did we really eat all of those?”

                “Apparently,” Akio muttered. He looked up. “Hey…”

                “Hey what?”

                “Thanks for…” he trailed off.

                “Thanks for what?” Haru wondered.

                “For not… for not _saying_ anything.” Haru was about to ask about what, but—“About this. The whole eating thing.”

                “Not a problem!” Haru assured. “Although, I was wondering why you’re fine eating around me.”

                “You don’t _watch,_ ” Akio explained. “You don’t look at me while I’m eating, and you don’t get that look. You know the one: the whole ‘oh wow, he’s eating’ look. You don’t act worried, or surprised.”

                “Oh. That makes a little sense.”

                “I mean, I know when someone looks at me they would worry,” Akio acknowledged. “This whole thing… it didn’t start out as anything too deep.” He looked down. “Eating is just a lot of effort. I was always so busy; eating takes time and energy.”

                “You have to eat though.”

                “I haven’t starved yet,” Akio argued. But he sighed. “I know that, and especially now after all of this traveling. It just takes time, and I don’t have time to waste. That’s how this started.” He stared off into space. “I was obsessed with research. I couldn’t take the time. I didn’t want interruptions. I needed to read those books, the ones I’ve read a thousand times, because maybe, maybe I would find out something about Keyblades. And maybe if I did I could use it to find mom and dad.”

                “Research? What kind of books were you looking in?” Haru wondered.

                “There are about a hundred that I stole from the library,” Akio admitted. “They’re books about darkness and light, legends about other worlds; a lot of them are fiction, many of them are children’s books.”

                “Did you find anything useful?”

                “No. I read them so many times, and there was nothing.” Akio shook his head. “But I couldn’t stop reading them again and again, hoping that maybe I missed something. That became my life. Everything else fell to the wayside. That included food and sleep. That’s how it started anyway.” He frowned. “Then people started looking at me weird when I ate. So I stopped.”

                Haru wasn’t sure what to say at first; but then it came to him. “Hey, once we find our parents, then you won’t have to research anymore.” Haru grinned.

                Akio looked up. “You’re right…” he marveled. “I won’t know what to do with myself.”

                “Well, you’ll have to figure that out; but you don’t have to worry about it tonight,” Haru said.

                Akio nodded. “Hey…” he said again, “is it okay if I sleep in that chair over there? You know, so we can hear each other breathing?” he asked sheepishly.

                Haru was surprised. “Of course you can, silly! No worries!” he assured. “There’s an extra blanket on the table over there that you can take. In the meantime I’m finally tired. I’m going to try to sleep if you’re okay.”

                “I’m fine.” Akio headed over to the chair, setting the empty plate on the stand and settling into the chair.

                Haru lay down. “Goodnight,” he whispered.

                “Goodnight,” Akio replied.

                Haru closed his eyes. He felt privileged to be so important in Akio’s life. He hadn’t expected it, and regardless of his feelings to the contrary, he didn’t care if he ever managed to become more than a friend. This was enough. Akio trusted him. The way things were now was so comfortable. As long as things could stay safe and if they could find their parents and the king, everything would be perfect; because if they could find their parents, Akio would never have to return to that horrible place that he had been forced to call home.

0o0o0

_Haru could only hope that he was having a nightmare. He was trapped in an empty white room. The only detail was on the walls; a repetitive symbol he didn’t recognize. He turned in a circle searching for an exit but found none. The room was silent; he could hear the pounding of blood through his veins. It was cold and he felt like someone was watching him. “Who’s there?” he yelled._

_“Ah, young Haru. I’ve been waiting for you,” a deep voice said. It took a moment for Haru to recognize it. Origin slowly rose from the floor. He tilted his head, studying Haru. “Too bad you aren’t as easy prey as your father was. You aren’t even worth the bother. There’s not much darkness in you at all.”_

_“What the hell are you doing in my dreams?” Haru demanded._

_Origin chuckled. “I have power of the mind. Memories, dreams; it’s all the same to me.” He walked towards Haru. He tried to summon his Keyblade but nothing came into his hand. “You can’t use that weapon here. I’m in control.” He halted._

_Haru took a step back. “What do you want?”_

_Origin smirked. “You might not be easy to change but your friend certainly could do what I need.” An image of Akio appeared in a chokehold in Origin’s hand._

_Haru started to rush forward but stopped; he could tell this wasn’t Akio. Not only did he know it was a dream, the eyes were lusterless and the skin even paler. No light seemed to come from him at all. “I’ll never let you touch Akio!”_

_The image dissolved in a burst of light._

_“Ah, but you see Haru: it would be so easy. He holds so much darkness inside. There’s only an annoying sliver of light shining through and causing problems,” Origin explained. “So much darkness and light in an imperfect balance; lucky for you he’s never been strong enough to reach his full potential.” Origin laughed. “He lies in the twilight; so close to the darkness that it will take only moments for the light to fade… it is inevitable.”_

_“You’re wrong!” Haru argued. “Akio’s the strongest person I know. There’s no way the darkness could ever win!”_

_“Foolish child. Your faith in your friend is too great!” Origin taunted. “Don’t you see that the darkness would only make him stronger? Don’t you see that he will always lose to it? He has so many times before. That sliver of light shrinks with each time.” Origin sank into the ground. Haru turned around in time to see him rising behind him. “I wonder: how could I put it out permanently?”_

_“You could never do that!” Haru stepped towards him. “And you’re wrong. Akio would never give up! The light will always be there!”_

_“Hmm,” Origin pondered, “I wonder what would happen if you were gone?” He appeared behind Haru once more, this time grabbing him by the throat. “You are his light after all; his only friend. You both said it earlier. You are each other’s power. You would not be useful any other way. You’re a worthy sacrifice for the cause.”_

_Haru struggled to get out of his grip. He tried to summon his Keyblade, and this time he was successful. He swung it back into Origin’s stomach, falling from his grip and gasping for air. “You’ll never beat me,” he declared. “I have something stronger than you. I have hope.”_

_Origin back up looking shocked. “You injured me… here?” He backed into a portal of darkness. “Impossible…” He was gone._

_“Haru?” he heard a familiar voice call._

0o0o0

                Haru woke up being shaken. “Haru?” Akio called while shaking him. He stopped. “Good. You’re awake. You were yelling in your sleep.” Worried eyes stared down.

                “Oh. Sorry. I was having a nightmare.” Haru sat up rubbing the back of his head. “It was weird though. Origin was there… and it wasn’t like a part of the illusion; he was _there._ ”

                Akio’s eyes widened. “Huh? What happened?”

                “We just need to watch our backs,” Haru commented. He looked outside to see the sunrise. “He tried to attack me, and he was threatening you.”

                “Threatening me?” he asked.

                “I don’t remember what happened, exactly. But we need to be careful.”

                “Definitely,” Akio agreed. “Well, it’s morning now. Let’s get going.”

                “Right,” Haru said with a nod.

                He wondered what to do now. How could they find Origin? They hadn’t found any real clues… but it didn’t matter. They _would_ find him, and Haru would protect Akio no matter what.

                He pondered that as they prepared to leave. “He lies in the twilight…” he muttered as he remembered what Origin had said. “Twilight Town!” he blurted.

                “Um… what?” Akio looked back at him quizzically.

                “Oh…” Haru laughed nervously. “I remembered something that Origin said in the dream. I think we need to go to Twilight Town; he might be there!”

                Akio shrugged and tugged his sleeve back into place. “It’s as good of an idea as any,” he noted. “We have to start looking for him somewhere. It can’t hurt to start there.”

                “Right,” Haru said. Nothing about this journey was sure, but he knew two things: he would find Origin, and he would protect Akio.


	14. Friends

Chapter 14: Friends

0o0o0

                Akio stared at Twilight Town as they grew closer. Why would Origin be here? When Akio asked Haru he hadn’t gotten a straight answer. All Haru said was that he didn’t remember exactly what Origin had said, just that he’d mentioned ‘the twilight.’ Akio for one wasn’t satisfied by that answer; why should they have bothered to come here? Nevertheless, he didn’t know where else they could go. Finding Origin was indeed the next logical step. Origin was the one whom had captured their parents. He would know where they were.

                But he was stalling. They needed to land. They needed to make progress in whatever direction could even possibly move their quest forward. Akio didn’t want to go home, but he was anxious. The longer it took for them to find their parents, the longer they would have to wait. They had been waiting long enough. Besides, he was growing weary of fighting. He wanted it to end.

                Haru had been quiet for a while; he had fallen asleep a few moments ago. It was frustrating that he had chosen to doze off now after all of the time that the flight had taken. He hated to wake him up but they really needed to get moving. Regardless of where they were they were vulnerable. Akio wasn’t in the mood to sleep but he knew he couldn’t safely leave the ship on his own. Well… theoretically he could wait; but he didn’t want Origin to get away!

                He docked the ship above the clock tower. “Haru,” Akio said. Haru stirred and opened his eyes. “We’ve made it to Twilight Town.”

                Haru sat up, yawned, and stretched. “Sorry I fell asleep,” he apologized.

                “No worries.” Akio shrugged, and as usual, had to pull his sweater back into place and tighten the hood strings. “I understand that this whole traveling thing is exhausting. Besides: you’ve only been asleep for a few minutes.”

                “Okay.” Haru stood up. “Let’s get moving. Who knows how long Origin will hang around?”

                Akio nodded and rushed towards the door. “I’ll go down first… in case you fall, since you’re tired.” Haru shrugged, so Akio climbed down the ladder. It wasn’t far at all to the ledge of the clock tower and the stairs that led into the train station.

                Haru stepped onto the building. “I don’t see anything big from here,” he observed, “but that’s no surprise. Nothing ever seems to be easy.”

                “Sadly,” Akio agreed with a sigh. “Let’s keep moving.”

                Haru nodded and headed down the stairs.

                They continued into the train station. “This place is pretty empty,” Akio observed. “I wonder if something’s going on in town.”

                “Who knows? Maybe there’s a sport’s game or something,” Haru hypothesized. “You know; there could just be somewhere else better to be.” He walked ahead of Akio.

                Akio stumbled on a staircase he hadn’t seen. He grabbed at the wall to stop his fall and was met by a surprise: when he retracted his hand, a brief flash of blue numbers covered where it had been. He didn’t feel the brick surface beneath. “What?” Akio backed away slowly.

                “What’s wrong?” Haru asked as he turned around.

                “Something strange just happened,” Akio explained, looking at his friend with wide eyes. “Touch the wall.”

                “Okay…” He put his hand against the surface in question. The same set of binary numbers in a column appeared. “What in the world?” He quickly retracted his hand.

                “I don’t know,” Akio fretted. “Let’s… let’s keep moving.” He started to walk more urgently to the door.

                Haru was right behind him. “Yeah,” he agreed. “The sooner we find out what’s going on the better.”

                They walked up to the doors to the plaza. They had a similar sensation of something blocking contact… but at least they opened.

                As they walked into the plaza, they were greeted by the person they were looking for. “Ah, you made it.” Origin smirked. “And here I thought you were smarter than the others were.” Akio rushed at Origin at full speed, summoning his Keyblade. Origin simply floated into the air above him. “I take it you don’t want to talk.”

                “Coward!” Akio snarled. “You won’t even stay down here and fight?” He wasn’t sure what made him so angry at that moment… but he wanted to destroy Origin. It felt personal.

                Origin laughed. “I don’t need to.” He crossed his arms. “You will destroy yourselves soon enough without my help.”

                Haru ran to catch up with Akio. “Tell us what’s going on!” he commanded.

                “I don’t see what it could hurt. It would certainly be ironic if you knew what will happen before I take control of this. It’s only fair.” Origin glided further away before landing on the ground. “You see, you are in my domain now. This place is nothing but an illusion and you were foolish enough to fall into my trap.”

                “An illusion?” Akio looked around.

                “Yes. This is made entirely from the memories of your precious Keyblade Masters.” Origin gestured around. “You’ll notice that it is different from the Twilight Town you earlier encountered on this useless quest.” The area was far more pristine and less time worn; the stairs were different, as was the curb surrounding the plaza; it lacked a fence or guardrail. “Their memories are strong here. Some are so closely tied to this place that they can manifest.”

                A churning pool of darkness appeared beside him. “For you see, it’s all memories: even I am a memory,” Origin continued, “and memories can strengthen or weaken with time. It depends on how dear someone holds them, or how dreaded they are.” He looked at Akio. “But you’d know all about that, wouldn’t you, Akio? You have some marvelous material to work with. It’s too bad that I haven’t managed to reach them.”

                “What are you talking about?” Akio questioned.

                “You know very well how powerful your memories are. They haunt you every moment of your useless life. You have yet to learn to escape them,” Origin smoothed. “It’s such a shame that your little friend is here. Your light would be easy to extinguish. You’ve thought so yourself in the past.”

                “You’re wrong!” Akio protested. “Get out of my head!” He felt the man entering his mind, but what could he do? He… he had to protect himself. He couldn’t let Origin use him!

                Closing his eyes he pulled on the hidden light within, the one that he had kept hidden for so long. Origin was right; once, he was close to letting it fade away. But now, when he opened his eyes it was strength that burned from within. The light was painful to feel… but it was worth it.

                Origin seemed mildly frustrated at first. “What are you doing?” His demeanor suddenly changed and he grew distressed. “That light…” He stepped back. “Where did it come from?”

                “I’ve fought hard for that light. You can never touch it.” Akio glowered. “I’m not afraid of it anymore.”

                “Foolish child,” Origin taunted, “you should fear the light and accept the darkness. The light is—“

                “Oh, shut up.” Haru rushed in while Origin was distracted by his speech. Sadly the man noticed in time to move out of the way.

                He rolled his eyes. “I will waste no time on you,” Origin said. His energy reeked of fear. “Why don’t you fight them instead? They are far stronger here than anywhere else.” Three black-cloaked figures rose from the ground. “For they are only a memory and this is the place they will always remember the most.” Origin backed into a portal and was gone.

                The memories stared blankly at the friends. They seemed familiar… A dark haired girl with blue eyes; a blonde boy with the same; a tall man with red spiked hair. They had Keyblades… The people from the platform?

                There wasn’t much time to think of the details however. All they could do was block the assult as the trio attacked.

                Dodging their strikes was difficult, and they didn’t seem to be injuring them in return. They were only stunned briefly before their assault resumed.

                Akio was quickly separated from Haru and lost sight of him. He heard a yell, and when he turned to see it, the group had cornered Haru. “Haru!” Akio screamed. He ran towards them. Haru was badly injured from the fight and was losing consciousness.

                “DON’T MAKE ANOTHER MOVE!” Akio screeched. The girl swung her Keyblade and hit Akio with all of her strength, but he ignored the pain. “I will NEVER let you hurt my friend!” he growled as he clawed his way through.

                At the words, the memories froze and stared intensely. He used the opening to reach Haru. “Haru, please wake up!” he pleaded.

                “’Friend?’” The memories looked at each other slowly. “That’s what we were; we were friends…” They faded away in a dark mist.

                “I’m okay,” Haru groaned as he sat up. “That hurt though… Where’d they go?” He looked around.

                “I don’t know,” Akio replied. “They said something about ‘friends’. Then they let me through and vanished.”

                “Maybe… Maybe they were friends, so they understood what friendship means?” Haru pondered. Akio was doing his best to heal him… but he was becoming light headed. “You’re getting really pale,” Haru noted. “Stop healing me and rest. I’ll be fine.”

                Akio was reluctant but stopped. “At least I think I healed a lot of your wounds… right?”

                “I’m fine,” Haru assured. “Let’s get out of here before anything else happens, okay?”

                Akio nodded in agreement and helped him off the ground.

…

                At the top of the clock tower, Akio gazed out into the sunset. “You know…” He slowed to a stop. “This place is really beautiful. Even if it’s just a memory, I understand why someone would want to hold onto it.”

                Haru looked at the sky. “Yeah… it is really nice.” He turned his head further and looked at Akio. “Wait…” Panic crossed his face. “You’re bleeding!”

                Akio glanced down at his arm where his sleeve was indeed sliced open. His upper arm had a large and deep gash.

                “Sit down!” Haru ordered.

                Akio complied. “Why didn’t I even feel that?” he worried. Now he felt the pain, and while it was almost a welcome feeling, he knew this injury was dangerous. He tried to heal the wound with no success. “I think I’m out of energy. I can’t heal it.”

                Haru sat down next to him and touched his arm gently. He tried to examine the wound. “Take off your hoodie,” he demanded. “I need to get a better look.”

                “No!” Akio protested. His heart started to race; he tried to calm himself down. The bleeding would only speed up if he didn’t.

                “It’s got blood on it anyway.” Haru saw how upset Akio was becoming and his expression softened. “Let’s at least rip that sleeve off; you aren’t going to be able to roll it high enough up for me to check the wound.”

                Akio started to protest again. “No!” he argued as he pulled his arm away from Haru. Haru only looked shocked, and… his arm really did hurt, and he couldn’t heal it on his own. He shouldn’t be so stubborn; but there was no way he was tearing it. “Okay. I’ll take the sweater off… But I want it back!” He was quivering at the thought of what was beneath the garment that he never removed. He was already shivering before he unzipped the jacket and put it to the side. He felt the cold wash over him and he knew it wasn’t entirely the difference of fabric weight. Haru… Haru could see the scars.

                “I’ll give you your hoodie back. Don’t worry.” Haru appeared to ignore everything but the bleeding gash. He frowned. “Do we have any medical supplies in the ship?” he asked.

                “No. I looked a while back.” Akio sighed.

                “Too bad the injuries from the fight weren’t an illusion,” Haru said. He grabbed Akio’s arm again and turned it gently. The cut was deep and circled half way around his thin upper arm. It was a wonder, Akio thought, that it hadn’t cut any major veins or arteries. “I wish I could heal like you can,” he resigned.

                “It’s okay,” Akio assured as he tried to pull away.

                But as if Haru’s wish was granted, the wound began to heal under a green glow. It quickly closed leaving only a scar. “I guess maybe I can heal people,” he noted.

                But his eyes wandered and from the concern in his eyes it looked like he was noticing the things that Akio wanted to hide. Akio grabbed his hoodie and hurried to tug it back on, zipping it up. It didn’t matter if it was covered in blood; he needed to hide. He felt humiliated. Haru should never have seen those. It didn’t matter how bloodstained the white fabric was: he would never take it off around anyone again.

                “Thanks,” Akio muttered.

                Haru smiled and pulled Akio into a hug. “You’re welcome.”

                Akio paused. He was confused. Was Haru not going to say anything? Was Haru kind enough not to point of what he had seen?

                And beyond that: this hug felt different. They had hugged before, but something was off. Still, he returned the embrace. Hugs weren’t as awkward as when they were first reunited and he was almost disappointed when his friend let go. The physical contact had been nice. The warmth of the hug was pleasant. That wasn’t a description he would ever have used before. “Um…”

                “Sorry!” Haru rushed to apologize.

                “No! No reason to be sorry,” Akio reassured. “I just didn’t know what to say.” He smiled. “Thanks for… for not mentioning… well, everything.” His voice lost volume with each syllable.

                “I told you before. If and when you want to talk, I’m here.” Haru returned the warm smile.

                Akio didn’t know how to respond. He looked away. There was something different in the way Haru had smiled. It was odd; he didn’t know what to say and he felt like blushing and it wasn’t from his earlier embarrassment.

                When he glanced over Haru was looking out over the town. “The sunset really is beautiful,” he said.

                Akio looked down at his hand and then to Haru’s. Haru looked so much stronger where Akio looked skeletal. He hated it. Why had he let that happen?

                But he looked back up at Haru’s face and that sadness faded away if only for a moment. Then it hit him; he _liked_ Haru. It made sense now… kind of. But what should he do? Should he say something or should he wait until this was all over? Before he could decide, he put his hand on top of Haru’s. All he could think of was how warm Haru’s skin was.

                Haru looked over. “Is something wrong?” he worried; but he didn’t pull his hand away. He looked puzzled.

                Akio wasn’t surprised by that since he was confused too, and shocked. “Nothing’s wrong,” he pulled his hand back. “It’s just that…” It was too late to stop now since the words kept flowing without thought. “I kind of _like_ you.” He immediately regretted that he ever said it.

                Haru grabbed his hand back. “Good.” He grinned. “It was going to get awkward if I was the only one.”

                “Oh, um…” Akio’s heart fluttered. “Good?”

                “I would have said something earlier,” Haru acknowledged, “but I didn’t want to freak you out.”

                Akio was at a loss for words; this was all a strange turn of events. “…That’s okay,” he decided. He felt a bit off balance at the moment. He was still startled that that had happened.

                They sat there for a moment, hand in hand, looking out into the sky.

                Finally, Akio let go. “We should get going.”

                “Sadly,” Haru agreed. He stood up before helping Akio and pulling him into a brief hug. “Thanks for telling me about this.”

                “Thanks for not freaking out,” Akio replied.

                They headed to this ship. Akio was just so… happy was the easiest description, but it didn’t begin to cover the complexity of the emotions he felt. As long as things didn’t become awkward because of this it didn’t matter. They could worry about it later, once things were settled.

                Once they found their parents everything would fall into place, right?

0o0o0


	15. The Fragment

Chapter 15: The Fragment

0o0o0

                Haru wasn’t sure what to think about the unexpected development. Akio liked him! He was happy, that was for sure. He hadn’t thought that could ever happen. It had been making him miserable but now it was bound to get better.

                They were on their way now. They didn’t know where to go and would probably be forced to retrace their steps. Origin had left no clues.

                But this was all so amazing to Haru that it didn’t matter. Since they agreed, he supposed there was no problem. Though, they should hold off until they were done with this quest. Once this dangerous and vital search for their families was complete they could try to start a relationship… if that was even what Akio wanted. Haru frowned at the thought that he might not.

                Regardless, there were far more pressing matters at the moment. They needed to find Origin to know what they must do next. They had promised the Queen that they would look for the King. Even if they ever felt like giving up they had to remember they weren’t just searching for their own sakes anymore. It would be selfish to decide there was too much danger. Besides: it would probably been just as dangerous to stop now that Origin knew about them. They would never be safe until he was gone; and Haru knew that meant that they might not make it home for a while.

                They had to find their parents. It wasn’t an option. They could never go back without them. If they did, Akio would have to go back to his aunt and uncle and that wasn’t something Haru wanted to think about. He had promised himself that he wouldn’t let anything happen to Akio.

                And that meant that he couldn’t let Origin get to either of them. Origin was right when he said that if one of them was hurt the other would become easy prey. Haru knew that no matter how hard he would try, he would never be able to keep going without Akio.

                What if Origin was right? What if Akio was so close to the darkness that it could overpower the light? He doubted it, and now after their most recent conflict with Origin he was sure that it was just an attempt to invoke fear. He wouldn’t let it stop him, though. He had too much to protect and he would to everything in his power to protect it.

                On the other hand, what if it had been the love and the need to protect people that had allowed the Keyblade Masters to be caught? Their memories… could Origin have manipulated them to distract them? If they believed their loved ones were threatened might they make reckless decisions? Haru acknowledged the possibility and moved on from the thought.

                He was always telling Akio not to stress out. He should follow his own advice and relax. He could deal with the problems if they came up. Who knew what would happen? Energy was better spent on other things.

                It didn’t really matter that might at the moment. They needed to keep going. Haru had been so excited when they found that message from his father. It was the start of an important adventure, a new and exciting experience of traveling from world to world; but now, he was exhausted. He wanted a break, and Akio was all that was keeping him sane.

                He looked over. Speaking of Akio, he had dozed off in the driver’s seat. Haru smiled and picked him up to move him to the other seat. He was so light… Haru frowned.

                Luckily Akio didn’t wake up. Haru knew that he was exhausted. He’d have to figure out the controls on the hunk of junk they were in for himself. He’d watched Akio fly the ship before; surely it would be easy enough to figure out.

0o0o0

                _Akio knew he was dreaming again. A plain dark room, walls shadowy. When he looked out the windows he saw a starry night sky. It was strange; this wasn’t somewhere he knew yet it felt like he’d been here before. So comfortable; he felt at home._

_He knew something was behind him, watching. He slowly turned and was met by something that wasn’t a surprise. He was in a dream, after all. His doppelganger’s eyes were piercing gold and full of anger like before, but there was more life behind the glare. Akio pitied the being; he had once known such hatred._

_The shadow shook its head. “You’re so different than he was.”_

_“What?” Akio puzzled._

_“You don’t know him,” the shadow acknowledged, “but I do. He was a choice: one that you made as your heart was born.”_

_For a long time, Akio was silent. “What… what does that mean?”_

_The entity shrugged. “I can help you; help you fight Origin.”_

_“Why do you care about Origin?”_

_“I have my reasons,” it replied. “You’re strong enough now to defeat him. Your light will remain. This interaction between us won’t allow him to take over.”_

_“For who to take over?” Akio worried. “And why should I trust you? You’re my darkness… right?”_

_“Amongst other things,” the shadow answered. “Yes I am indeed your darkness; but I am more. I connect you to him. I’m the good and the bad, the wish to learn about the darkness and light. I’m the wall between you.” It hesitated. “Perhaps you shouldn’t trust me. It would make sense for him to wish to gain control. That’s what he’s always wanted.”_

_“Who?”_

_“You’re stronger than he was. You’ve held onto the light through everything,” the entity decided. “He delved to deep. He took the easy route. You won’t do that. You already would have by now.”_

_“What’s you point?” Akio demanded. “What if I don’t trust you? Will you leave me alone? Or will you tell me anyway?_

_“You’re right.” It frowned more deeply. “I can’t leave until I tell you. Origin must be defeated. History cannot be allowed to repeat itself.”_

_“Okay then, just say what you have to say,” Akio agreed. He was annoyed, and he was reluctant, but… “It’s not going to change anything.”_

_“How to begin?” the entity mused. “We can’t let Xehanort return through Origin; it is our duty, you and I.”_

_“What do I have to do with that?” Akio pressured. He crossed his arms. He was growing impatient. “I mean, I don’t want him coming back and all that; I just don’t understand why it has to be me.”_

_“Well, I suppose you aren’t alone.” It rolled its eyes. “But you’ve always been a part of this.” Its eyes shifted around like it was watching for something. “You captured him: you captured Xehanort. You accepted a fragment of him as your heart was formed. You were merciful from your first moment on the world.”_

_“Huh?”_

_“True, your heart was incomplete. You needed darkness; but you didn’t have to choose it the way you did.” It seemed to calm down. “You chose Xehanort: you chose to keep him away from ever coming back. In that action, you chose me.”_

_“Wait, that means—“ Akio froze. “Xehanort could break free? Is that what you’re saying?”_

_“It is possible, though unlikely if we manage to stop Origin.” The entity stared at him. “You have stayed strong this long; if Origin was gone, Xehanort could never return.”_

_“How does this help? Now I’m worried that I’ll lose control!”_

_“I did not tell you this to instill fear. I only wish to help you defeat what remains of the evil of the past.” It shook its head. “None of us want things to fall apart all over again.”_

_Akio crossed his arms. “Tell me then: how do I fight Origin?”_

_“I know Xehanort’s weaknesses, and in turn, I know Origin’s. I know what he loved, hated, feared; those things would help you.” The darkness took a deep breath. “But I’ll spare you those details. All I will tell you is he felt invincible, and that was why he failed in the end. He wanted control. Origin must be the same. Take away that control and he will be vulnerable. You’ve seen it before, when you proved he was not invulnerable.”_

_“How am I supposed to do that?” Akio pressed._

_“Free those that he is using as power. He will become weaker.” The entity walked over to the window. “Currently, he is powerful from the memories of so many, and he’ll only become stronger the nearer he gets to the sources.”_

_“So if I start winning, he’ll lead me to my parents.” Akio deduced. “And if I free them, then I can win.”_

_“I mean no insult when I say you could never defeat him otherwise.” The darkness turned to face him. “You have proven yourself powerful. You have held onto hope, and it powers you. It will always keep you strong, keep you safe. The moment you lose that hope is the moment you will lose your battles.”_

_“So…” Akio began, “I’m not giving up hope anytime soon, but what’s the deal? What happened to you saying you’d take over if I gave up; that you hated me? What happened to your anger that I no longer feared my light?”_

_The darkness shrugged. “You have shown remarkable mercy once more by giving me a form to communicate through. You want to understand me rather than force me out.”_

_“Oh.”_

_“Don’t be afraid though; you are you. You can never be defeated by Origin. You need not fear me nor any other darkness or the light. Hope is your power.” It sighed. “You are brave because you realize you are weak. Remember: you are you, not your father. As long as you remember that, you will succeed in so much on your own.” It looked up warily, panic in its eyes. “I must go now. You are something incredible, Akio. Hold onto that.”_

_It faded into the shadows leaving Akio wondering why it left so suddenly._

0o0o0

                Akio woke up with a start, punching Haru as he sat up, as usual. “Sorry!”

                “It’s fine. Don’t worry about it.” Haru was panicking.

                “What’s wrong?”

                “I don’t know how to control the ship. I tried and I don’t know where we are now. The map makes no sense…” Haru looked down. “I’m sorry I’m stupid.”

                Akio jumped up and ran to the controls He looked over everything before setting on the map. “We’re fine,” he reassured Haru. “You were looking at the map wrong. I think we’re actually almost to another world.”

                “Really?” Haru was relieved. He rushed over to see for himself. “Oh. I thought we were that dot over there.”

                “Nope.” Akio pointed. “We’re this one. The other is just a point of reference.”

                “Good.” Haru sighed. “I thought I completely messed things up… I guess I have dumb luck.”

                “Luck, yes: but not dumb luck. You’re not stupid,” Akio insisted. “But anyway, don’t worry; I’ll take over now. Thank you for letting me get some sleep.”

                “No problem. I’ll be glad to let you take over though.” Haru laughed. “But if it comes to it again, I can try again.”

                “I’ll keep that in mind.” Akio grinned. He was glad to be awake but he wouldn’t tell him about that dream, or about the darkness. People could misunderstand; maybe accuse him of… well, of something. Haru wouldn’t, but he still worried.

                He laughed quietly along with Haru as they returned to their usual, goofy teenage selves. He remembered: he was Akio, no one else; and he believed it.


	16. Trials

Chapter 16: Trials

0o0o0

                A large grey castle loomed above a dark and gloomy city in the distance. A heart-shaped moon hovered above, lighting the area with its bright beams. Could this be The World That Never Was? Was this the place that their families might be?

                As Akio brought the ship closer he was filled with a sense of sorrow and dread; he tried to put it to the side yet the feeling loomed. “Haru, we’re here… wherever it is.” He pointed to the world as Haru came to take a look.

                “It’s certainly… impressive,” he supposed. “It’s worth checking, right?”

                “These symbols though; they don’t look like heartless emblems…” He studied them. “What do you think they are?”

                “I don’t know,” Haru admitted. He turned towards the path. “Well, we should get going. No time like the present.” He started walking.

                “Wait!” Akio called. Haru turned to face him and Akio pulled him into a hug.

                “Is something wrong?” Haru worried while slowly returning the gesture. “I mean, it’s fine, but…”

                “I just wanted to hug you. That’s all.” Akio wasn’t about to say that he was worried that would be their last chance.

                Haru studied his face in an obvious effort to find whatever hidden meaning there might be. He sighed and leaned forward to kiss Akio’s forehead. “We’ll get through this, okay?” he promised with a smile.

                “Yeah…” Akio muttered. “I know.” He looked away. The words weren’t a lie. He logically believed and had faith that they would succeed. Still, the feelings of fear and anxiety were strong and difficult to overcome. He would try to believe.

                They stood there looking at each other for what felt like a long time. Haru started to blush. “Um, well, we should get going, right?” he stuttered. He looked away and covered his face.

                Akio wondered why he might be blushing. “Yeah,” he replied after a moment. Neither of them moved.

                Akio figured it out; Haru was having a similar fear. He turned Haru’s head and kissed him on the cheek.

                Haru blinked. “How did you know?”

                Akio shrugged. “Lucky guess.” He laughed. “We really do need to start searching this place.”

                Haru sighed. “I know.”

                “Then let’s go.”

0o0o0

                Haru was trying not to be distracted. He realized he definitely needed to control himself and not want to go back to the ship and make out with Akio for a while… how had it gotten so weird so quickly? It was only a kiss on the cheek. It wasn’t quite what he had wanted but it worked. But it was just that: a kiss on the cheek. Was he seriously this flustered by that?

                There was an important task at hand! But Haru was fighting looking at his friend… or more… and that only made things more difficult.

                “This is so bizarre,” Akio observed. Haru snapped out of his daze. “There’s nothing around here. No enemies or any life at all.”

                “Maybe we’re going the wrong way,” Haru suggested. That would suck; they had come all this way and found somewhere that seemed right. If it wasn’t… well, he was sick of this journey. He wanted to find their families and go home already!

                “No, I think we’re going the right way,” Akio replied. He walked more quickly. “I just have this feeling.”

                “I guess it’s a good sign if you’re being positive, right?” Haru commented with a grin. He ran to catch up.

                Akio stopped and shrugged before pulling his sleeve back into place. “I don’t know about positive. I feel like we’re about to face something big.”

                “Impressive,” Origin said as they rounded the corner. He clapped. “You made it past some powerful memories indeed. Roxas, Xion, and Axel were all powerful fighters in their time. I’m surprised.” The duo prepared to attack. “All the more useful you will be. Your power will become mine. It was nice of you to come to me and make things easier.”

                “Back off!” Haru yelled. “Where are they?”

                “Impatient, aren’t you Haru?” Origin’s laugh boomed through the air. “Well you’ll be joining them soon enough.”

                “Cut the crap,” Akio said calmly. “What’s it going to be? Is this going to be easy? Or are you going to make it hard on yourself?” Haru couldn’t tell if Akio was bluffing. What was he planning?

                “How rude,” Origin commented. “I suppose I’ll have to teach you a lesson.”

                A shadow appeared on the ground as he tried to summon another memory.

                “Don’t be such a coward,” Akio taunted. He slammed his Keyblade into the darkness and caused it to disperse. “Stay and fight us yourself if you’re so powerful.”

                Origin narrowed his eyes. “Very well.” He summoned his weapon. “I suppose it will save some time.”

                “What are you doing?” Haru hissed while they were still within each other’s hearing range.

                “Trust me. He’ll take us to them, just watch,” Akio whispered. He was thankful that Origin didn’t seem to hear. Haru was confused, but he nodded.

                The fight was difficult; even two against one they were having trouble avoiding his attacks. But they were managing. Akio tried to keep the attacks aimed at him, and while that frustrated Haru, he seemed to be able to anticipate his movements. Akio seemed to be right; they were being led up a staircase as Akio kept managing to get in hits.

                Haru finally caught up and took a swing; it went right through. “I still can’t hit him!” he yelled.

                “No crap,” Akio muttered. He shook his head. “Just watch my back!” he yelled back as he wished Haru hadn’t pointed it out.

                A portal appeared behind Origin and they all burst into a room filled with glowing orbs. Within these structures were what they had hoped for; the Keyblade Masters.

                “There’s no way you’ll ever defeat me here!” Origin bragged.

                “Haru! Over there!” Akio called. Haru followed his hand to a keyhole in the corner. “Use your Keyblade!” He blocked an attack.

                “Why you little brat!” Origin tried to rush past Akio but his advance was blocked. “You won’t be able to get them out!” he claimed. Akio could tell it was a bluff.

                Akio blocked him move for move. “Keep going, Haru!” he said when he saw Haru turning towards them.

                His attention was redirected as a doorway formed in the distance. Within the frame stood a familiar form: his darkness. _“Now’s your chance!”_ it said. _“Take him in here so he can’t stop Haru! You can beat him once the others are freed; but only you can. Keep Haru safe!”_

                Swinging his Keyblade with all of his strength, Akio managed to knock Origin back through the portal, following right behind. He knew that trusting this spirit of darkness was his only choice; what else could he do?

                But when he heard Haru’s voice calling through the closing opening, he was afraid that he would regret this; but there was no turning back.


	17. Fate

Chapter 17: Fate

0o0o0

                “Akio!” Haru tried to follow his friend, but the portal closed the moment Akio was through. “You idiot! You shouldn’t have gone on your own!” Yes, he knew he couldn’t be heard, but it made him feel better to worry aloud.

                Even now there were no enemies around. The only thing in sight was the Keyblade Masters who lay on the ground. They were slowly beginning to wake up, he noted as he turned around and looked at them. “What am I going to do now?” Haru groaned and covered his face as he fell to his knees in frustration.

                “Where…” Haru looked up at the voice. “Where am I?” Riku asked. He seemed to be the first to regain consciousness, and when Haru looked over, he was rubbing his head and looking around. “Wait. We’re out?” He leapt to his feet and frantically looked from Sora to Kairi. They were still fighting to wake up.

                Haru stared in disbelief and he jumped to his feet. He recognized that face even after all of the years that had passed. “Dad?” he marveled.

                Riku whipped around to study him. “Haru?” he questioned after a moment. Haru nodded and stood there awkwardly. “Haru, is it really you?” He rushed over. “You’re here!” He pulled Haru into a tight hug.

                “Yeah, I’m here Dad. I’m here.” Haru was overwhelmed with emotions; but he quickly regained his composure and ended the embrace. “But now I need your help.”

                “What’s wrong?” Riku asked. He heard the urgency in Haru’s voice.

                “Okay. So here’s the deal.” Haru took a deep breath. He needed to stay composed. That’s how Akio would handle this situation, right? “I’ll explain everything later, but for now…” He trailed off. “Akio came here with me; but he’s the only one who can damage Origin. He held Origin off while I got you guys out.” He looked over towards where the portal had been. “The thing is Akio went through a portal over there after Origin. On his own. Without backup.” Haru tried not to panic. He couldn’t lose him! “When I tried to catch up, the door disappeared. Now I don’t know where he is! We have to figure out how to help him!”

                “Calm down,” Riku urged. “We’ll figure this out.”

                “What’s going on?” asked another voice that Haru recognized. Kairi? She sat up, as did Sora.

                Haru quickly explained again. He was growing more nervous by the moment. Akio had been beyond his sight for so long now, and Sora and Kairi panicking didn’t help. No one was coming up with a plan; everyone was trying to, but there were too many ideas and too much emotion flying around the room.

                All this was doing was making things worse. Haru felt helpless, and he didn’t like that. He wasn’t used to it without Akio by his side to reassure him that he wasn’t alone; to tell him what to do since he didn’t know for himself.

                Nothing productive was happening. Seeing no other options, he walked over to where the doorway had been. He looked around the area for a sign of… well, anything.

                There had to be something. He pulled out his Wayfinder and stared at it. They were connected, right?

                A seething portal of darkness formed in front of him and he went through with no further consideration.

0o0o0

_(At the same time)_

                Origin stood up and brushed himself off. He glared at Akio from across the seemingly endless white room. “You were ignorant enough to bring me here alone?” Origin roared. “One would have thought you were wiser than that. Only now have you freed the Masters. I overpowered them long ago and yet you: you who haven’t even wielded a Keyblade for a year… You decided that you can defeat ME by yourself?” He summoned his weapon and prepared to attack.

                Akio conjured his Keyblade. He wasn’t afraid. “I’m not alone,” he argued. “There may not be anyone here with me, but Haru will always be helping me from wherever he is!” He wanted to gag from how cliché it sounded.

                “This is going to be too easy. A simpleton such as you; here all alone.” Origin lunged forward.

                Akio dodged the attack and got in a hit of his own from behind. They matched each other’s attacks, blocking each other’s strikes. Akio was frustrated by it all. Why didn’t he seem to be making any headway? But he wouldn’t give up; he couldn’t! He had to defeat Origin!

                He saw his chance, and he wouldn’t let it pass. He needed to bluff. If he let himself be injured, then Origin would stop to take the time to brag. If Origin believed he had won there would be a chance to sneak in. If Akio could pretend that he was fatally injured…

                He let the saw hit him in a painful blow. He was unable to prevent the scream that slipped from his lips as the pain slammed over him.

                “You’re ignorant,” Origin proclaimed with a laugh. “Such a little kid; did you truly believe that you could defeat ME?” He slowly walked towards where Akio lay bleeding on the ground. “It’s such a shame, really. You could have been more useful than all of the others combined. So much potential. So many nightmares. So much darkness.” He lifted his weapon to finish the job. “Too bad I can’t chance you making even more of a mess of things than you already have.”

                Akio ignored the pain and jumped into action. He darted behind Origin and thrust his Keyblade through the memory’s heart. “You’re the one who’s an idiot,” he disagreed.

                Origin’s eyes widened in fear. “How—“ Origin’s pained voice rang through the room.

                “You’re too confident.” Akio removed his sword and stood ready to attack again. “You have forgotten you have weaknesses. At least I know mine!”

                Origin wheeled around in once last attempt to attack but Akio countered. Origin glared into his eyes. “You’ve made a grave mistake,” he proclaimed. “Nightmares only return stronger…”

                Origin dissolved into a dark mist which dissipated throughout the room. It briefly rushed towards Akio. He blocked it with his Keyblade and the mist was blown away in a burst of light, bouncing from the sword as though repelled by a strong wind.

                Akio’s Keyblade clattered to the floor as he fell to his knees. “Ouch,” he whimpered. He wanted to scream. How could he let this happen? He clutched his injured side; the wound was deeper than intended. That hadn’t gone exactly according to plan.

                He fell onto his hands and fought to breathe. Tears began to burn his eyes. They weren’t from the physical pain, though that was extreme. The tears filled his eyes because he knew it was over.

                He had finally found his Mom and Dad, and now he wouldn’t even get to see them again or talk to them again. And… Haru; he was going to lose Haru. He finally had everything he had ever wanted, and now…

                The wound was too large to heal with his magic.

                “I’m sorry Haru…” He tightened his grip around his Wayfinder like it would still keep him safe like he had always believed it did. Tears snuck out of his eyes as his limbs gave up on holding him up and he fell to his stomach. “I’m so sorry.”

                He closed his eyes. He knew it was all over now.

                “AKIO!” he heard a familiar voice call and footsteps running with incredible speed.

                He looked up and fought to open his eyes towards the sound. “Haru?” he marveled. He groaned and let his head fall. “I’m sorry.”

                “What the hell are you sorry for?” Haru demanded as he carefully picked him up. “Let’s get out of here before that stupid portal closes again!” He felt the wind rush past, created from the speed at which Haru ran. He closed his eyes and held on, his arms around Haru’s neck for support. “Stay with me, Akio. Don’t leave me,” Haru begged. “You have to stay awake. I need you to be okay!”

                “Sorry,” Akio repeated. He pried his eyes open. “Put me down. If I walk it’ll be easier to stay awake.”

                Haru reluctantly sat Akio on his feet, wrapping an arm around his shoulder to support him. They were nearly at the exit anyway, only a few feet more to go. “You’re okay. You’re going to be okay,” Haru repeated more to himself than to Akio.

                Akio wasn’t so sure… but he’d do his best. Haru was right. Haru needed him. He couldn’t leave him to face everything alone after all they had been through.

                They made it through the portal… but a few steps out everything went grey and he felt his body thud on the ground before all faded away.

0o0o0

                Haru slowed Akio’s descent as much as possible. “Akio?” he asked shakily. When there was no response, he carefully put his friend down. “Akio, wake up! WAKE UP DAMN IT!” He shook him gently. This couldn’t be happening. His friend began breathing again and Haru hadn’t even noticed he had stopped.

                The adults rushed over and tried to shove Haru out of the way. As they all crowded in to cast spells and use potions on the gravely injured boy, Haru was hit by the sense of dread of being unable to help in the task. But energy or not, he sure as hell wasn’t leaving Akio’s side. “You idiot! Wake up!” Haru demanded, his voice wavering.

                “Get back!” Riku said as he grabbed Haru by the arm.

                Haru tugged it away. “I’m not going _anywhere!”_ he said. “He freaks out under the best of circumstances, let alone while surrounded by people who may as well be strangers!” His eyes were wild and panicked. They couldn’t make him leave Akio… he was everything to him!

                After seeing Haru’s expression, Riku halted in all attempts to pull him away. “…Sorry.” He returned to casting cure spells.

                Not that the spells seemed to be helping. Haru felt his heart sinking as he grabbed Akio’s hand. His hand touched something hard; he turned the hand and saw within it a lucky charm. A Wayfinder… Akio had grabbed his Wayfinder and was holding on to it for dear life. Haru pulled his own from his pocket and placed the two trinkets between his hand and Akio’s. He kept thinking, over and over, _Please wake up._

                He was close to the breaking point even before the adults ran out of energy and backed off in silent dismay, hoping to recharge quickly enough to prevent the boy’s demise. Sora and Kairi were crying while holding each other… watching their son die in front of their eyes. They stepped back to give some space. “Please…” Haru whispered. _I love you,_ his brain added.

                As he finally let tears fall, Haru felt Akio’s hand tighten around his own. “Akio?”

                And of course, in true form, Akio shot up with a punch that hit Haru’s cheek. He opened his eyes. He blinked. “Uh… Sorry?” Akio said weakly. “Ouch,” he groaned as he clutched his side.

0o0o0

                “You think that I mind being punched in the face when I thought you were dead? Seriously?” Haru hugged him tight. “God. You’re such an idiot.”

                “Yep. Same as always…” Akio winced. “Can you not hug me so hard? I really hurt right now.”

                “Oh!” Haru let go with an embarrassed grin. “Sorry!’

                Akio tugged his hand away from Haru’s. “It’s okay. Really.”

                His attention was redirected when he saw people approaching. “Uh… Hi?” he said nervously; he was having a bit of a ‘time and place’ confusion. Soon, though, he vaguely recognized two of the faces. “Mom? Dad?” he wondered.

                He was pulled into the grips of a gentle hug. “Akio…” Kairi sobbed as Akio did his best to hug them back.

                They were crying so much. “Um… You can stop crying now…” he asserted. He was baffled. Was this real? If he wasn’t able to feel their touch he would have thought this was nothing but a dream.

                They fussed over him for a long time. Akio could do nothing but sit there awkwardly wearing a weak smile and trying to hide his pain.

                Haru finally spoke up. “Can we, you know, try to get him some medical treatment or something? He’s in a lot of pain.”

                “Oh!” Akio’s parents said at the same time. They helped him to his feet.

                Haru gave them space, a bit to Akio’s dismay. But he understood. Haru was letting them have their moment. He had his moment with him, and they would have more moments together later.

0o0o0


	18. Interlude

Interlude: Home

0o0o0

                Akio sighed and looked out the window. His new room overlooked the peaceful sea, a new house and a new beginning. He would never have to return to the deplorable home of those abusive people who called themselves his aunt and uncle again.

                It had taken a lot of fighting to ensure that, even to the point of going to court. His previous guardians didn’t want to give him up, but luckily they soon found out that Sora and Kairi were still his legal guardians regardless of how long it had been. Even if they could still hide what they had done for so long, it didn’t matter anymore.

                It was deemed Akio’s decision on what to do, and the choice was not one that he would ever question. The scene still lay strong in his mind.

                His aunt spoke in a far too sugary voice. “Don’t you want to come home, Akio sweetie?” she pleaded in a way that tried to paint love and care built over many years.

                Akio had stared at her coldly, his anxiety at an all-time high. But he said it. “I’d rather die than go back to that hell.” He kept his voice calm. Not even his usual air of anger was present but he knew his eyes portrayed his hatred well enough. “You two can go back and rot on your own.” His uncle had growled, and Sora and Kairi seemed shocked by his words, but he had casually walked away without stopping to look back.

                That ordeal was over, and while he was still in a lot of pain, he was home. He was finally home… at least for the time being. Heartless still ran wild throughout the worlds, and surely they would have to be contained before they could cause too much damage… but Akio still felt like he could relax for a little while at least while the actual Masters figured out a plan of action.

                This was his real home. This was where he belonged. He was back with his parents who had left so long ago…

                Haru and Riku were staying with them because… well, to be blunt, Haru’s mom remarried and that was more than a bit awkward. Akio was fine with them being around. He didn’t enjoy being far from Haru, though he wasn’t sure what to make of their current situation. Where they still just friends or what? Either way, he didn’t care as long as they didn’t have to be apart for long.

                Akio pulled his Wayfinder from his pocket and held it up to the light. Things had been so awkward between them since their families were around. It wasn’t like they could act like anything had happened beyond friendship, and even without the romantic stuff, they were a _bit_ too enthusiastic about being in each other’s company… at least, that’s how Akio explained the distance that had formed between them. He hoped that the chasm wouldn’t grow too deep now that they weren’t forced into each other’s company anymore.

0o0o0

                Haru sat on the couch in the living room looking at a book, but he wasn’t really reading the words. He was worrying instead… He hadn’t talked to Akio much lately and it was killing him. When you get used to being around someone every waking hour, you get used to their company… Maybe it would be easier if things hadn’t gotten more complicated right at the end of their journey.

                Haru was left sulking. Was Akio mad at him? Haru hadn’t tried to do anything to upset him.

                Sure, Sora and Kairi had asked frequent questions when Akio kept refusing to talk to them in hopes of Haru being able to help, but Haru hadn’t given any real answers! He did give a few hints though: don’t be pushy unless it’s life or death, seriously, don’t do it or he’ll just block you out… Which he was doing regardless. But that rule alone covered all they needed to know unless Akio chose to tell them.

                But they were worried about Akio, and Haru was too. Haru knew it was justified, but he had gained Akio’s trust and wasn’t going to throw it away. With that trust, everyone had a hard time believing that they hadn’t been close friends from the beginning, regardless of their less frequent interactions right now. Haru never knew how to respond. Anything he said would worry them more. The truth was that Haru was sure he was the first person Akio had _ever_ been able to trust since his grandmother died.

                Haru groaned. What could he do to fix things? He closed his book and held his Wayfinder in his hand. He had to talk to him. But how?

0o0o0

                Akio hopped off of his bed and went down to the living room. Haru sat alone on the couch. Akio crossed the room and sat beside him. “Hey,” Akio greeted. He crossed his arms out of habit before compulsively pulling his sleeve back into place.

                “Hey,” Haru replied dully. He looked at Akio before glancing towards the kitchen. The adults were talking in there. “They aren’t coming anytime soon, so…” Haru pulled Akio into a kiss. Shocked, Akio shoved him away. “Sorry…” Haru apologized. He looked away.

                Akio turned Haru’s head to face him. “Don’t be sorry… I’m just not ready for that.” His smile was reassuring, and Haru smiled back. How could you not smile when Akio did? Akio crossed his arms once more. “You haven’t been talking to me much, so I was worried that you didn’t want to be around me anymore… I guess I was wrong.”

                “I’d never want that, dummy!” Haru replied. “I didn’t want to act ‘weird’ around our parents, and I was afraid I would. They’re still adjusting to being back around us. I don’t want them to think we’re crazy or anything.”

                Akio snorted. “We can’t act forever, you know. We have to at least act like before… before this.” Akio pushed stray hairs out of Haru’s face. “Whatever this is.”

                “You’re right.” Haru grabbed Akio’s hands but was shoved away. He frowned, but tried not to be hurt. Akio wasn’t touchy… that was all it was, surely. “Anyway…” Haru rubbed the back of his neck. “We shouldn’t really worry about freaking them out. It’s our lives, not theirs, right?” He paused. “…And to be honest, I’m in love with you, so I don’t want to hide anymore.”

                Akio’s eyes widened and he shook his head and bit his lip. He felt pressured. “…That’s okay. I might be falling in love with you too.” He sighed. “I don’t know what to think.”

                Haru smiled. That was honestly better than he had expected. “But regardless, are we going to tell our parents anything?”

                “No!” Akio snapped. “No…” he repeated more quietly.

                “Oh.” Haru looked away.

                “Haru, I’m sorry,” Akio apologized. “But I don’t know how to act around them _at all_. I want to try to figure them out.”

                Haru looked back up. “Huh?”

                Akio looked down. “You don’t have to keep quiet, I guess… I just don’t see any reason we have to tell them we’re more than friends.”

                Haru thought about it, and he had to agree. There was no way around it. If Akio wasn’t comfortable, then it was more important to ‘act normal’. “We won’t tell them yet,” Haru agreed with a smile.

                They stared into each other’s eyes. Haru knew that no matter what happened, they would always be together, as friends or more… they could figure out the details later.

                Because Akio always kept his promises and Haru had no reason to think that would ever change.

0o0o0

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so ends the first arc of "The Power of Memories". Up next are a few shorts before Part 2. I hope you've enjoyed it so far!


	19. Short One: Leaving

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There are four short stories between the first and second arcs. While they don't have to be read in any particular order since they stand on their own, I'm posting them in the order that feels most natural. These stories connect the dots between parts one and two, so hopefully you will enjoy them as well!

Leaving

0o0o0

                When Haru arrived back home, he hadn’t expected what he found there.

                He hadn’t been too surprised that his step father hadn’t been desperate to find him, but he had assumed that his mother would have at least been looking.

                But when he got home, he didn’t get an excited and relieved hug. All he got was, _“Oh. You’re back.”_ And she had sounded almost disappointed.

                He didn’t care that she wasn’t excited to see Riku. She _had_ gotten remarried after all. But he heard her and his step dad talking, and… _“I thought we were finally alone,”_ she had muttered.

                He had heard a muffled reply but couldn’t make it out.

                That was the reason that Haru didn’t question his choice when he moved the last of his belongings from his room without being noticed. If they didn’t want him… well, then he wouldn’t stay.

                He was surprised to hear his mother’s voice from behind him. “Haru? What are you doing with that box?”

                He turned to face her. “I’m moving out. I told you that several times already.”

                The words seemed to process for the first time. “I thought you were joking. You aren’t leaving!” She crossed her arms. “I won’t let you!”

                He shook his head. “Why do you care all of the sudden? I’ve been back for two months, you know, and I’ve been moving my stuff out for a week. Not that you pay any attention.” Haru didn’t know what had happened. He thought he had gotten along with his mother, but now…

                “Is that what this is about? Attention?” she rolled her eyes and threw up her arms. How had he never noticed she did those things before? He knew that she did them. “You’re always seeking attention. Why am I surprised?” She shook her head. “Do you really think that damn Riku’s going to care as much as I do?”

                Haru was normal very cheerful and composed… well, maybe composed was the wrong word, but he was almost never angry. Now he was, and he was having a hard time controlling himself. “First of all, don’t bad-mouth my father,” he said.

                “Don’t tell me what to do—“

                “Second of all, what makes you think this is about attention? You didn’t look for me when I was gone for so long, I would know that you don’t pay any attention.” He tried to keep his frustration in control. “And it’s not like I haven’t been telling you that I was moving out since I’ve been back. You haven’t given me the time of day!”

                “Haru, I’ve been busy,” she claimed with a pout.

                “Busy? Too busy to notice that your own son was gone for six months?” He shook his head. “I’m leaving. This is the last of my belongings. Don’t expect me to come back.”

                “You’re not going anywhere!” she yelled. “I’m your mother! You aren’t old enough to make your own decisions! It’s that damn Akio getting to you, isn’t it?”

                Haru glared. “Don’t you dare go there…” His voice darkened. “I think a mother would have realized her child wasn’t there. I’m not wanted here and I know that. _That’s_ why I’m leaving!” Haru retorted. “You can deal with it, and you and that stupid Colin can finally be happy and alone without a reminder of Riku tainting your life!”

                He walked towards the door and managed to get it open. He looked back sadly. His eyes were burning. “Goodbye, Mom. I know you don’t give a damn about me, but I love you.”

                She didn’t bother to follow him or try to stop him as he closed the door quietly and walked down the familiar path from his old home one last time. Maybe if she had… maybe things wouldn’t hurt so much.

0o0o0

                How was he supposed to face anything now? Everything he had ever known was torn from him.

                Haru sat on the bed of his new bedroom and stared at the packed boxes on every surface. It was time for a new start. He had been controlled by his mother for so long, trained to be exactly like whomever she decided, that he had been blind to the way she had been treating him. He… he didn’t care if what she said was true. He didn’t care if Riku would ever be able to love him as much as a parent who had watched him grow would. Haru’s mother was, simply put, as dead to him as he was to her.

                Riku had been helpful though, and when Haru thought about it he was going through the whole ‘unwanted’ feeling more than Haru was. He had been replaced. Haru had been erased. They didn’t belong in her life anymore.

                The tears that had filled his eyes when he left his old home were dried now. Haru had no excuse left to not stand up and begin unpacking all of these boxes. It was symbolic, really. Maybe he was finally accepting that this was really happening and that there were consequences to his actions.

                Truthfully, all of the Keyblade Masters had been helpful. Sora had literally been forgotten by not only his family but everyone everywhere, so it had probably been worse for him… though there had been magic involved, so maybe not. Haru didn’t know, and he didn’t want to think of it as some kind of pity contest. He didn’t want pity. All he wanted to do was move on from this and that wasn’t an easy task.

                He saw Akio walking by in the hallway. He paused at Haru’s open door before coming in the room. “Hey,” Akio greeted awkwardly. Haru could understand that Akio had no idea what to say, and he didn’t blame him; he was just out of the hospital, still bandaged and in obvious pain and had finally managed to escape a ‘family’ that had done nothing but abuse him. He had a lot on his mind, and there was simply no way that he could understand how Haru felt… and Akio was very good about not pretending when he didn’t understand.

                “Hey,” Haru replied.

                Akio walked over and sat in the empty chair by the desk. He couldn’t stand for long right now. “So…” Haru could see that Akio wanted to find something useful to say. He shook his head. “You have everything moved over here now?”

                Haru nodded. “Yeah. I brought the last box over this morning.” He knew that his eyes would show his sadness… he was terrible at hiding that particular emotion.

                Akio studied him before looking at the ceiling. “Ugh, I wish I knew something helpful to say, but I don’t!” he said in exasperation. “I don’t want to say that I understand, because I don’t…” He sighed. “All I can say is that I’m here if you need me.”

                Haru couldn’t help but smile, his mood at least temporarily improving. He walked over and gently hugged Akio. “Thanks,” he replied. It might not seem like the most comforting comment, but it was sincere and not some useless attempt to cheer him up. “You’re awesome.”

                “You’re welcome,” Akio muttered.

                And at least in that moment, everything seemed like it would be alright.

0o0o0


	20. Short Two: The Agreement

The Agreement

0o0o0

_Dreams like this used to be nightmares, but now… Akio honestly thought the darkness in his heart was a riot._

_At the moment they were having a staring contest. They had given up on chess a while ago. It’s a hard game to play when you always know your opponent’s next move. “You know,” Akio said without averting his eyes. “Do we even have to blink here?” The contest had been going on for… well, it felt like hours anyway. There wasn’t any specific way time worked here, so who knew?_

_“Beats me,” the darkness replied, blinking in the process. “Hey! You cheated!”_

_“Did not!” he protested. They both laughed._

_It wasn’t long ago that they agreed on this arrangement. The darkness was going to be there, so they might as well get along, right? So, recently they had been hanging out like this at times when Akio would otherwise be having nightmares. Chilling in whatever environment Akio decided on never failed to be an improvement over the bad dream he would otherwise be having. Today for example, they sat in lawn chairs on the beach at midnight. The air was salty and stagnant. The moon shone silver off of the water._

_“I have to ask,” the entity began, “what made you decide to keep me company on nights like this?”_

_“Hmm…” Akio shrugged. “Well, I thought you might be lonely. Besides, it gets me away from those horrible dreams, so it works out.”_

_“Yeah, well, I guess you would know. You are the one who made me as I am now.” It smirked. “You’re a weird one, Akio.”_

_“Thanks,” he said sarcastically. “But anyway… I like to think of you as a friend.”_

_“Friends?” the shadow asked. “That’s the craziest thing you’ve said yet, and you’re pretty crazy.” It shrugged. “But sure. You’re my friend.”_

_“And if we’re friends, it would be nice to be able to call you by a name,” Akio noted._

_“You want to name me?” the shadow marveled. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”_

_“No, not really.” Akio smiled. “Any ideas on what you’d want your name to be?” he asked._

_“Dude, you’re insane… why are you asking me what I want?”_

_Akio chuckled. “Trying out slang?” He was amused at what this entity had become. He had never expected this much._

_“Yep,” the shadow said._

_Akio couldn’t help but laugh. He sighed. “Well, since you don’t have any suggestions… you’re darkness, right?” The entity nodded. “That’s a terrible name; what about Yami? It’s in a different language, but it means darkness, so…”_

_“Yami…” The entity raised its eyebrows. “That’s pretty awesome.” Yami nodded in approval._

_Akio grinned. “So, Yami, what do you want to do now?”_

_“Rock paper scissors to see if you tell Haru about me today?”_

_He shook his head. “Nah, that’s too risky. I don’t want him to think I’m insane just yet.” Akio paused. “How about we use it to decide what new hairstyle to give you? You look way too much like me.”_

0o0o0

_Yami sighed. “I wanted a Mohawk… why do I have to have a ponytail instead?’_

_“Hey, it’s a masculine ponytail, so shut it!” Akio asserted. “Besides, I won fair and square!”_

_“But Akio…” Yami childishly begged._

_He shook his head. “No. You’re keeping this for a while.”_

_The entity put on his best pout. “You’re so mean…” But his face grew serious. “Akio; you’re going to have to tell people about me, or at least Haru. And all of the Xehanort stuff too!”_

_Akio rolled his eyes. “I will, I will.”_

_“They’ll find out eventually,” Yami insisted. “Better to tell them now.”_

_“They won’t understand…” He looked away, turning to gaze out over the ocean._

_“I know they’re really annoying, but don’t you think it would be safer to tell them?” The shadow crossed his arms._

_“Not today, okay?” Akio decided. He subconsciously mirrored Yami’s movement, or perhaps it was the other way around._

_“Fine.” Yami rolled his eyes._

_“Stop moping.” Akio frowned._

_Yami sighed. “Haru’s about to wake you up. Try not to punch him this time, okay?” Yami teased._

_“Ha. Thanks, Yami.” Akio waved. “See you later.”_

_“See you later, Akio.” Yami smiled back._

0o0o0

_Yami watched Akio disappear as he returned to reality. He sighed and sat on the cold floor of the dark ruins which the beach had become. Now he had nothing to do but wait for him to fall asleep again. Nothing to occupy his time at all. He was alone._

_His smile quickly faded. All alone._

_For a moment, a lingering thought snuck through, a remnant of a Keyblade Master long gone. “What are you thinking, having a friend?” Xehanort’s voice whispered. “I wonder why he trusts you. You’ve lied to him so many times, after all. Your attempts to comfort him are useless. You know that you aren’t the only part of me that he holds.” The voice chuckled sinisterly. “I don’t feel ‘remorse’ for what I did. I will gain control of this weakling sooner rather than later… Or is that why you go with this ruse? Do you wish to do the same?”_

_Yami gritted his teeth and clenched his fists. “Go away, Xehanort. I’m not letting anything happen to Akio.” He shoved the darkness back into its corner. “I will never let anything happen to my friend…”_

_Again, things were silent. He whispered, “Because I_ am _sorry.”_

0o0o0

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yeah, at this point in my writing process, a character that wasn't really a character became major to the rest of the story...


	21. Short Three: Just Like Sora

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Time for a flashback. I'm not really sure what happened here. The style is so different it's like someone else wrote it.

“Just Like Sora”

0o0o0

                “You’re just like your father!”

                The first time that Akio could remember hearing those words was a few days after his parents had disappeared. His grandmother had spoken them, Sora’s mother. It was the best sentence that Akio believed he had ever heard. He was like his father, his father who was missing, but he’d be home soon, they were sure of it! He had climbed into his beloved Grandma’s lap and begged to know what she meant.

                “Your smile looks just like his,” she explained as she poked his nose. “You’re always smiling, always cheerful!”

                “He smiles a lot?” the three-year-old asked as he batted away her hand, his blue eyes sparkling.

                She nodded. “All of the time. He laughs at a lot, and he’s always making others smile too.” She smiled. “You’re a lot like him when he was your age, Akio. You’re smart and full of energy. You’re so full of light. You’re _just_ like him.” Akio beamed.

                Grandma was a wonderful woman and she cared for him at first when Sora and Kairi had left to save the worlds. She didn’t have any real explanation as to why they had left and she often had to have other family members come to help care for him. She was ill; she soon discovered she had cancer, but she wanted to take care of Akio and have him be happy and healthy.

                “They’ll be back any day now,” she reassured him all of the time, and in hindsight, she was saying the words to herself too. She grew more ill rather than improving, but over and over, she said those words, and every time she did, he smiled more and more.

                He remembered the last words she ever spoke to him. “I love you. Please stay you, Akio. Don’t let anyone stop you from being happy.” She smiled and kissed him on the forehead. “I love you so much, my baby boy.”

                Akio found that she had died in her sleep the next morning. He was only four and had stumbled across her when she hadn’t come down the stairs to start their day together.

                Initially, he was given to other members of Sora’s family; but they had busy lives and couldn’t take on another child. He was then given to Riku’s wife to be raised with Haru… but his aunt and uncle on Kairi’s side were influential. When they took the issue to court, he ended up in their care against every one of his parent’s wishes.

                It was a long time before he would hear those words again.

0o0o0

                “You’re just like Sora!” his kindergarten teacher told him. He was five at the time.

                “Really?” he asked excitedly.

                She nodded and he didn’t notice her smile fade. Selphie had known his parents when they were teens. She had grown up with them. “Keep smiling, Akio. It helps.”

                Akio didn’t understand at the time that she meant she didn’t believe that Sora and Kairi were ever coming back.

                Each night he went home, each night he faced pain; each night his smile faded.

                But each morning it returned the same as the morning before, because everyone talked about how much Sora used to smile, and when Akio smiled, he was like him. And if he was like his dad, he was so many other things. He was brave, strong, honest, kind… And if he was like his father, he and his mother would be so proud when they returned.

0o0o0

                “You’re just like Sora!” his third grade teacher noted with a grin. Everyone always had such wonderful things to say about his father. Akio wanted to be that amazing kind of person so it made him happy to be compared to him. Sometimes he was compared to Kairi and that made him happy, but most compared him to his father.

                But his smiles became less frequent and they took more effort. The emotion was no longer a constant on his face. He had fewer and fewer people to interact with by the day. He never saw Haru, his best friend, and… he was beginning to wonder if his parents would ever return or that he would ever find them.

                Now instead of “Look at that smile,” it was becoming “Smile, Akio!”

                “Smile, Akio; Sora and Kairi would,” the music teacher told him in the fourth grade. Akio hadn’t noticed that he was frowning. He missed his parents so much. Each night he went home and was screamed at, on the worst nights he was hit. He told the music teacher about those things; he was such a nice man. But he frowned at the words and claimed he couldn’t do anything and told him to never mention it to anyone else; he didn’t.

0o0o0

                “You used to be so much like Sora,” a random shopkeeper noted in the fifth grade. “What happened?”

                That was the first time the comparison hurt. It was a ‘used to’. He wasn’t like his father anymore; he heard those words less and less. He was failing to be like the one person he always wanted to live up to.

                The shopkeeper had been joking, but it fell flat. He didn’t reply to her as he gave her money across the counter to pay for the flower to be placed on his grandmother’s grave.

                _“I love you, Akio,”_ he heard Grandma’s words ring in his head though voice was faint and fading much like his mother’s and father’s. _“Please stay you, Akio. I love you so much.”_

                “I’m sorry that I’m not like Dad anymore,” he apologized to the woman whom he knew could not hear. “And I’m sorry he’s not coming back.”

                His smiles were less and less frequent, and when they came they were small and timid rather than heartfelt. Each night he went home to the same thing; the yells, the hits, and they were getting worse. He tried to run away, but when he was found he was punished even more, locked in a dark closet for three days.

                He it was years before he tried to run again.

0o0o0

                “You should be like Sora,” the principal had told him in the sixth grade; he had begun wearing long sleeves even on the hottest days. He didn’t want the cuts to show. “He had lots of friends. He never got into fights.”

                The words had changed now. The words that he loved weren’t the ones that he heard anymore. He wasn’t like his father anymore. In fact, he was nothing like him at all. “What are we going to do with you?” the gruff man asked. The man was at least kind enough not to tell his aunt and uncle about the meeting, and Akio never got into another fight.

                Still, he stopped doing school work. Apparently that was something Sora would have done. He had found something that he could do to be like him once more. He still managed to pass classes, so what did it matter? He had better things to do than classwork.

                One thing stayed constant, one thing that never changed. It seemed that each new adult he would meet would say, “You’re eyes are like Sora’s.”

                “What happened to him?” Akio had overheard one of this teachers talking in the seventh grade. “Akio used to be such a good kid. He was so much like Sora and Kairi. Now he’s… not.” Her disgusted tone made it obvious that her description was an attempt to be polite.

                “I don’t even know what happened to them,” the other teacher gossiped. “They just left one day and never came back.”

                “But why is he so sad?”

                “The poor dear lost both of his parents,” they had said. “Anyone would be upset.”

0o0o0

                Anytime he heard those words now, the words he had been longing to hear… they were complaints. “You’re too much like Sora,” teachers would say. “He never put any effort into school.”

                “You’re nothing like Sora, Akio,” one teacher had sneered in the middle of the hallway when he had fallen and dropped his books. “You’re so clumsy. You should try to be more like him.”

                His smiles were fleeting and by the middle of the eighth grade they ceased all together. He donned Sora’s old, gigantic white hoodie. It was far too large, but at least when he pulled the hood strings as tight as they would go, it stayed on. It hid his body becoming thinner and thinner, and all of the cuts and bruises. No one commented.

                No one said _anything_ anymore.

                He found out they knew. Everyone knew what his aunt and uncle had always done over the years, those terrible things… but they were influential people. Who would want to cause discontent with the mayor and his wife? He would only be hurt more if anyone tried to help.

                One final teacher was kind. “You’re so much like Sora. He was always so creative,” she said over a story assignment that he had actually decided to turn in. The woman was old. Why were the nice ones always old? Why did they always have to die so soon?

                He stopped fighting, and the beatings stopped. He stopped smiling. He couldn’t be like his father… he had tried. His parents were never coming back now, and they would be disappointed in him. He had failed; he couldn’t be as good as they were.

                But sometimes, he snuck a brief look in the mirror as he got ready for school and he saw it again; that smile that used to be contagious. He looked down at his hoodie as his red hair fell into his face with every movement. “I’m just like Dad,” he lied to himself to get through another day. “He would smile. I should smile today.”

                It never worked… but if he didn’t look at the scars or how thin he was, if he could see past the hatred that lingered in his eyes, he saw them there. Sora’s eyes, blue and sparkling; Sora’s smile; Kairi’s nose.

                He never stopped trying to be like them.

0o0o0

                One day it all fell apart. “You’re nothing like your parents,” his brain taunted when he tried to climb out of bed. “You’re not like Sora.” “You’re not as nice as your father.” “Sora would smile more.” “Your dad was nicer.” “Sora would—“ “Sora did—“ “Sora was—“

                “ENOUGH!” he screamed into a pillow. “I know I’m not like my parents. I’m not like Sora!” he sobbed. He hadn’t been out of the house in weeks. It was spring break, and it was just as bad as any other. “I’ll never be good enough. I’ll never be as good as Mom and Dad…”

                He smiled even less after that; he never spoke with anyone at all. He was silent… why should he bother? He couldn’t be Sora; he couldn’t be Kairi.

                Until one day he wasn’t silent anymore. He yelled back at his uncle and aunt. He dodged the punches, got angry at _everything!_ He wrote, he drew, he researched; he did everything they had ever taken away from him. He couldn’t be like his Dad; his parents were never coming back… But he wouldn’t forget them, and he wouldn’t forget his grandmother! Even though he couldn’t remember their faces, even though he couldn’t hear their voices… he wouldn’t forget them, because they were all he had.

                He hated those words… Why had he ever believed them?

                “I’m not like Sora,” he muttered as he fell asleep the night before he left that stupid mansion for good.

0o0o0

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Everything made a lot more sense after I wrote this, at least in my mind.


	22. Short Four: The Hoodie

The Hoodie

0o0o0

                Akio pulled his hooded sweatshirt from the dryer. He held it in front of him to get a good look. He knew that the white garment would certainly hold the bloodstains from his prior wounds, but he had expected _some_ fading, but no.

                They had all told him to throw it away, his mom, dad, and Riku. It was tattered, bloodstained and several sizes too large… but it meant the world to Akio. He would never throw it away. That why he stood there with warm fabric in his hands. He hugged the garment to his chest. He was glad that he was the only one home at that moment so no one would see this. He held it to his face and breathed in the scent of the fabric, faint with memories of blood and pain even after being washed. It made tears well up in his eyes.

                Sure, it was no longer useful in its current condition. Sure, it _should_ be trash. Akio had a new hoodie now, this one black and not quite as oversized; it had belonged to Haru… However, Akio loved this sweater and what it symbolized. His transformation from terrified child into what he had now become; a slightly more useful and less frightened teenager. Each stain and slice wrote a sentence, and together the tattered fabric was a novel telling the tales of what he had been through.

                He smiled softly as he carried the garment to his room. This object had been a security blanket long before the previous journey, and now it meant even more. It showed how something could be torn apart and come back. Things could be saved even when in shreds.

                This sweater had always been special. He had worn it for so long. He doubted that his father even remembered… there was no way he could know… It had once been Sora’s. It had been too large even for him. It was a joke gift that he had worn at times anyway. For Akio, though, it was the world. It helped him hold on to the memories that would have faded long ago. The one rip that had been in the sleeve before had been caused by Akio himself before Sora and Kairi disappeared. Akio remembered an incident with scissors. He had fit within the sweater along with his father when he was scared; he always had remembered that warmth. Inside the hood, his own name was scribbled in red marker that had nearly faded away. He had been lectured for that one. The thought brought a smile to his face.

                Long before he could even dream of keeping the garment on he had used it as a blanket. It had been a bit difficult to sneak the sweater into his room unnoticed by his aunt and uncle, but he managed. Later on they simply didn’t pay enough attention to wonder where he had gotten the hoodie. He had worn it every day, only taking it off to wash it, since his thirteenth birthday. Now his fifteenth was approaching and his fate had changed.

                He pulled a needle and thread that he had snuck into his pocket and began the repairs. There were only two tears that required fixing. He felt like he could fix the slice in the upper right arm, as bloodstained as it was. That was the point where his life had fallen into place. That was when he realized he could trust Haru; Haru was the repair to his soul, so now he could sew the breach in the fabric of the beloved hoodie. He then moved on to the tear in the side from his near death experience; he had survived. He could allow the pieces to be together once more.

                He certainly wasn’t skilled with sewing. The seams looked like jagged white lines on top of the crimson bloodstains. It was a bit like a heart monitor remembering all of his close calls. He chuckled after staring for another moment. He put the hoodie on a hanger. Holding it for another moment, he placed it in the closet. So many memories… he wasn’t about to throw that away.

0o0o0

                Haru caught up with his father in the store. They were shopping for a birthday gift for Akio. None of the adults were having any luck. Haru knew of only one item that would for sure have meaning to Akio.

                “We need to get this,” he announced. He held up a hanger with a gigantic, pure white long sleeve hooded sweatshirt.

                Riku raised an eyebrow. “That thing is way too big for Akio.”

                “It’s the same size as his old one,” Haru argued. “So it’s the perfect size.” He paused. “Though I never could figure out how he even kept the thing on, especially while fighting.”

                Riku seemed to be thinking. “What size is that thing?” he asked as he stared at the garment.

                “Oh,” Haru paused. “It’s a 4x. So is the old one. I checked once.”

                “4x?” He looked more puzzled than before.

                Just then, Sora and Kairi caught up to them. Each carried gift bags. “Hey.” Haru waved at them came up to them. “What did you guys find?”

                “A couple of books,” Kairi replied. “That’s all I could figure out that he even slightly likes.” Her eyes shifted to the sweater. “What’s with that?”

                “It’s for Akio,” Haru answered. “It’s like his old one.”

                “I hate to state the obvious,” Sora began, “but that’s too big.”

                “That’s kind of the point… at least I think it is.” Haru shrugged. “He was so sad to stop wearing that old one. He refused to throw it away, remember?” They slowly nodded. “So I figured we could get him a similar one. Sure it won’t be the same, but it will be something similar.”

                “He was so upset when we even talked about getting rid of it.” Kairi still felt guilty for having upset him that much. It had resulted in him wordlessly grabbing the sweater back and rushing out of the room, and Kairi could only assume from the look on his face that a meltdown followed.

                Haru, on the other hand, laughed. “He freaked out when he had to take it off so I could see an injury better while we looked for you guys. He refused to take it off at first, but when I said we could cut off the sleeve, I’ve never seen that kind of sorrow in his eyes. He changed his tune then.” He sighed. “I don’t know why it is, but it’s special to him.”

                Riku looked from Sora to the sweater and back again. “Didn’t I get you a joke gift right before we left?”

                Sora paused for a moment in thought. He blinked. “Yeah. A huge white hoodie; you said something along the lines of ‘I was going to need it in a few years’…” He picked up the sweater. “Do you think…?” He looked at Haru. “How long has he had that one?”

                Haru shrugged. “I couldn’t talk to him; I don’t know for sure. He started wearing it in middle school; I’m definitely not sure how he kept it on back then.” He looked at the adults. “Do you think it’s the same one?”

                “It’s unlikely.” The look on Sora’s face made it clear that he didn’t see Akio caring that much.

                Riku interrupted. “Haru, you said it was a 4x?”

                “Yeah,” Haru said. “Same as the old one.”

                “Weird question; do you know if there was a place on the left sleeve by the hand where it was cut?” Sora asked.

                “Um, well…” Haru shrugged. “Sorry, I never paid that much attention.” He shook his head. “But anyway, we’re getting this, right? I think it will cheer him up.” They nodded in agreement.

0o0o0

                Akio sat at the table uncomfortably. A small slice of birthday cake sat in front of him. He… He secretly loved this annoying ritual that had just taken place, with the candles and the cake and the singing. He hadn’t had that in a very long time. The problem was that he was now being watched after having taken such a small piece of cake. Little did they know that that was exactly why he didn’t take more.

                He slowly took a small bite. His hand shook as he tried to ignore them all. He blinked. It actually tasted really good. “It’s delicious,” he said with a smile. He saw the relief on his parents’ faces. “Thanks for going through all of this trouble… It’s just another day.” He was truly trying not to freak out even once today. He was trying to control his emotions and let this day be pleasant.

                “It’s not just another day!” Sora insisted. “It’s your birthday, and it’s the first one we’ve seen in eleven years!”

                “Besides,” Kairi said with a smile, “it wasn’t any trouble at all.”

                Akio shrugged in lack of another response. He stayed quiet and listened to the conversations going on around him as he ate his cake; he even got a second piece. He was glad that no one seemed to notice… maybe they didn’t judge him at all. Maybe that was his mind playing tricks on him, maybe—

                “Can we give him his gifts?” Haru asked impatiently as Akio took the last bite of his piece of cake, interrupting his thoughts.

                “Gifts?” Akio questioned. In theory he had known there would be gifts, but he hadn’t really imagined it. It was just another day, after all. That’s all it ever had been. Why was it so different now?

                “Yes. Gifts.” Haru nodded with a grin.

                “Uh, okay?” Akio didn’t know what to say. He could only look down when he saw the sadness in his parent’s eyes at his words. He knew they were finding more and more out about what he had gone through… the things that had been missing from his life and the things that shouldn’t have been there at all.

                He looked up as several boxes wrapped in colorful paper were placed in front of him. He tried not to be so shocked at the quantity as he was directed to open the first one. There were a couple of books, which he thanked his parents for; they were good books and he wasn’t going to tell them that he’d already read them. The last box was slightly larger, and from how impatient Haru was acting, he knew it must be from him.

                Akio grinned slyly and opened the box with much drama, unable to keep from laughing at Haru’s pouting. When he opened the lid, he froze and stared at what was inside.

                Slowly, he pulled out a gigantic, white hooded sweatshirt. It was much different from the other, for sure; but the thought that went in to finding the similarities was touching. Akio wasn’t sure what to say. This gift… it was more than a hoodie. He looked at Haru in silence.

                “You know, since your old one is in such bad shape.” Haru’s smile grew. “This isn’t a replacement; I know that old one seems to mean a lot to you, but you know, I thought something similar could be nice.”

                Akio held up the sweater once more and looked it over in silence. The torrent of happiness and sorrow washed through him. This wasn’t just a garment. It was the beginning of a new era. And for that, he loved Haru even more.

                Wordlessly, he stood up and left the room. “Akio?” he heard Haru call in confusion. But Akio went to his room and changed from the smaller black sweater into the familiar sensation of this new hoodie. It was close enough to the same size as the other that it fell off his shoulder in the same place before he tightened the hood strings as much as they would go. The sleeves were too long and covered his hands. He zipped it up, and in an instant he felt safer and more relaxed.

                Sure, it would never be the same, but this one was special in its own ways. It was his first gift from Haru, and a well thought out one at that. A new beginning.

                He went back into the kitchen, and Haru’s grin spread even wider. “Thank you,” Akio said breaking his silence.

                Haru came across the room and pulled him into a tight hug. “I’m glad you like it.”

                “I love it,” Akio said as he slowly lifted his arms to return the hug. And in one way or another, he loved Haru… he hoped that the later thought was implied.

0o0o0

                Akio sat cross-legged on his bed, the old sweater in front of him and the newer article of clothing on his shoulders. He ran his hands over the tattered fabric before placing it on a hanger once more.

                His parents had seemed a little jealous of the reaction compared to their gifts… but no one, not even Haru, could have had any idea how much this would mean. There was simply no way they could have.

                And… there was no way their ever would. He would never tell them about the old hoodie’s significance. Lately in his anxiety he had been acting like he was angry at them; that he hated them… and maybe that was a good way for them to see things. Then he didn’t have to get close, right? If they knew about how sentimental he was, they would know a weakness. He would hide his compassion deep within; he would return to his previous default of anger when he was afraid.

                Because at least then, they’d think they knew him, even if they thought he was bitter, mean, or grouchy… but honestly, that wasn’t enough.

                He wanted them to know the truth, but the truth would hurt them. He was broken; they didn’t need to get anywhere near someone like that. He could never be the son they once had… He could never be enough.

                These thoughts reined in his mind. He never lived up to anyone’s expectations before, why would it be any different with them? Surely they had some concept of what they wanted him to be at this age and he highly doubted a wreck was what they imagined. No matter how much he changed, he knew it would never be enough… so why change and live more lies like he had before he left that mansion?

                All that kept him here was Haru. For some reason Haru seemed to understand. For some reason he put his expectations aside when they met once more and he had accepted, no, _embraced_ the person that he was after so long in such a dreadful situation. For some reason Haru was able to love what he was. Somehow Haru felt that he was enough…

                He deserved so much better; they all did. But Haru was still there, still the one who had given him this gift that he would never know how much it meant. Not just the hoodie… Haru had given him the gift of a new beginning.

                And for Akio, that was more than enough.

0o0o0


	23. Dusk

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And Part 2 begins!

**Part 2**

0o0o0

Chapter 23: Dusk

                Akio sat on the beach staring out at the blue ocean waves and reveling in the fact that he was able to be in the fresh air and sunshine. A small smile crept across his face as he felt the warmth of the sun on his skin; sure, it was really too hot out to be wearing a heavy sweater but he wouldn’t be out otherwise and the fact that he was outside was far more important than any discomfort.

                He was so distracted by these feelings and lost in his thoughts that he failed to notice Haru approaching until he sat next to him. “Hey,” Haru greeted.

                “Hey.” Akio turned his head to look at Haru. He studied his boyfriend’s face and he didn’t like the concern that he saw. “What’s wrong, Haru?”

                “Nothing,” Haru claimed.

                “Come on, something’s up.”

                Haru stared at the ground in silence before nodded. “I… I wanted to apologize for all of the times I didn’t step in and do something before our last journey; you know, how I didn’t try to stop—“

                Akio held up a hand to interrupt him. “Hey, don’t worry about it. It’s in the past now, okay?”

                “It’s not that easy!” Haru disagreed. “I feel terrible. I never should have listened to my mom. I should have stepped in and said something!”

                “Haru,” Akio said with an air of authority. “Listen to me. It’s in the past, alright? You _had_ to listen to your mom, dummy; you didn’t have any other choice.” Akio stretched his arms over his head and yawned. “Besides, I’m not mad. I’ve never blamed you, so there’s nothing to apologize for.” Haru opened his mouth, but Akio continued. “Look at it this way. The past is done. There’s nothing we can do to change it. And… things are different now. Things are better. It doesn’t matter how painful the past is, it’s over.”

                “Do you really think that?” Haru asked after a moment of stunned silence.

                “Sure,” Akio fibbed. He was trying to anyway. “I mean, they say the past can come back and haunt you, but that can’t happen if you don’t let it.”

                “How can you believe that?” Haru questioned. Akio had a feeling that he wasn’t buying it, but… “How do you do it?”

                Akio gave his best fake smile. He was glad that Haru was such a dummy. “I guess I just try to remember the good things and forget about the bad stuff.” It was harder than that, but he wasn’t going to say that. “Well, _forget_ is the wrong word… Maybe I focus on the good memories instead.

                “Focus on the good?” Haru wondered.

                “Yeah. Like our last journey! All sorts of good things happened. I got to see you again. We became friends… maybe more… and then we even found our parents!” He shrugged and pulled his sweater back into place. Maybe saying these things was making him actually believe the nonsense. “I… I may not be the most pleasant person to be around, and I’m still having a hard time trusting people. But you know, the bad memories are just that: memories. And memories are only as strong as you let them be.” He nudged Haru’s shoulder with his own. “So cheer up! I’m out of that bad situation now, and it was never your fault regardless. Please don’t worry so much about it.”

                Haru grinned. “I’ll try not to.”

                They sat there in comfortable silence. Akio couldn’t stop his mind from wandering to guilt for lying that he believed those words. He knew that memories were real, painful, and had a bearing on the present. But… he really was trying to think in positive terms. Why should he admit that he thought otherwise when he could instead cheer Haru up?

                The warm light from above was beginning to fade as they day neared sunset, and Akio’s mind meandered to another important subject. “Hey Haru. If I tell you something will you promise not to freak out?”

                Haru looked over. “Of course.”

                “And promise not to tell anyone?”

                Haru nodded.

                Akio crossed his arms and stared at the sand. The grains were darkening in the fading light. “This is going to sound crazy, but… well… apparently the darkness inside me has become something I can communicate with. It has become a person.”

                Haru raised an eyebrow. “…Okay. I’m still listening.”

                Akio swallowed to try to get the lump out of his throat and hoped he wouldn’t freeze up. Haru’s face was really concerning, but he had to tell him about this. It was dangerous right now. “It told me that I’m connected to Xehanort; whether or not that’s true, I don’t know.” Haru said nothing. He was waiting for Akio to finish. “It told me that I hold a piece of Xehanort captive within my heart.”

                Haru sat up straighter. “What?” he blurted.

                “It’s not a big deal, really!” Akio insisted. He his hands in front of him nervously and he turned to look at Haru. “I have it under control. Xehanort has no influence over me.”

                “Why didn’t you tell anyone about this sooner?” Haru panicked.

                “Because of _this!_ ” Akio shouted and leapt to his feet. “I didn’t even know until recently anyway, and I didn’t want you to think I’m crazy. I don’t want you to worry or be afraid of me…” His voice fell quieter. “I don’t want you to hate me.”

                “Akio…” Haru’s voice had calmed and he looked guilty. He gently grabbed Akio’s arm and pulled him down next to him. “I would _never_ hate you,” he promised. He hugged him. Akio shoved him away. He didn’t seem to mind. “And I’d never think that you’re crazy. I’d never be scared of you… But I am going to worry. I can’t help that.”

                Akio wasn’t going to say anything more on the matter given the reaction, at least for the time being. It was obvious that Haru couldn’t understand, and it was too much to ask him to understand that he had befriended the entity of darkness. “Promise you won’t tell anyone?”

                “I promise,” Haru said with a smile.

0o0o0

                The sun sank below the horizon. Akio sighed. “I guess we should get home… I mean, I don’t really want to.”

                “Sadly.” Haru stood up and offered a hand. Akio accepted and stood up as well. “It almost makes me miss all of that traveling. It’s so weird. Back then, all I wanted to do was go home.”

                Akio shrugged. “I missed the islands too.” He took a step… everything went fuzzy for a moment and there was a sharp buzzing in the back of his brain.

                But Haru caught him before he could fall. “Are you alright?”

                “I’m fine,” he assured… but he wasn’t so sure. “I just still have issues from my injury I think.”

                Haru frowned. “I don’t want to nag, but don’t you think you should let your parents know so they can take you to the doctor.”

                Akio rolled his eyes. “I’m fine.” What he wasn’t telling Haru was that he didn’t want anyone to be examining him and finding his old injuries from long before that mortal wound.

                Haru shook his head. “Can you at least think about it?”

                Akio looked away. The sadness in Haru’s turquoise eyes was too much. “I… I guess,” he relented. He wasn’t being honest though. He just wanted to stop that expression.

                Before they could go any further he heard a sound behind him. He froze and his eyes darted around to search for the source. He spotted it. “Haru, behind you!”

                Haru quickly turned around. “What is _that?_ ”

                A bizarre looking creature walked in slow jerking movements in front of them. It had no eyes. Its mouth was like a zipper. “Is that a Nobody?” Akio asked. He wasn’t sure how he knew that… but he’d worry later. “I mean…”

                Haru didn’t comment. The creature jolted forward leaving little time for Akio to think before he drew his Keyblade and jumped in front of Haru to block the attack. “Well, it’s something bad,” Haru said dully. He summoned his Keyblade and began to fight as well.

                More enemies appeared. “These things seem to try to get behind you!” Akio yelled as advice as he slid back in front on one.

                “Thanks!” Haru replied as he turned to face one again.

                It wasn’t long before help arrived, but it wasn’t really needed. Akio finished off the last creature as their parents approached. Akio was glad that his habit of watching the Keyblade Masters training had paid off.

                Kairi rushed over to them. “Are you two alright?” she asked frantically.

                “We’re fine,” Akio replied. “Not a scratch, right Haru?”

                “Thanks to your quick reflexes.” Haru grinned. “Those things are really fast.”

                Akio shrugged. How else should he respond?

                A moment later he realized that he still held his Keyblade. He sent it away casually. “What were those things anyway?” There was no response and he began to grow uncomfortable. The adults were staring where his Keyblade had been. “Um…”

                Haru put a hand in front of their line of vision. “Didn’t you hear him?” he asked. It snapped them back to reality. “What were those things?”

                “They’re Nobodies; specifically, Dusks,” Riku finally replied

                “Huh, you were right, Akio,” Haru said before he turned to look at him. Akio’s glare conveyed the message to shut up, so he did.

                “It was a lucky guess,” Akio concluded with another shrug. He was unsettled by the implications of having known.

                Sora and Riku searched the beach for more Dusks but there were none to be found. “Let’s go home for the night,” Sora decided. “We can figure this out in the morning.”

0o0o0


	24. Untrusted

Chapter 24: Untrusted

0o0o0

                Akio lay awake that night wondering what questions would await in the morning. There never failed to be questions, and after last night he could only imagine the questions that might come today. He covered his face with a pillow as the sun began to rise and end his night of failed slumber. All the questions… they were too much. He didn’t know how to deal with them.

                He groaned. “May as well get up.”

                He pulled open the closet and reached in to grab his sweater. His hand brushed across worn out fabric and he became momentarily distracted by the souvenir of his past. His old, tattered, baggy white sweater. The arm and side were stained with blood and sown with jagged stitches reminiscent of the ones on his side while he healed. So many memories… it was useless now, sure. But it had always been in his life and he liked to look at it to remember their last journey. There were so many good times in his and Haru’s travels between worlds. Even though it seemed strange, it was relaxing to hold it in his hands.

                Regardless, he put the old one aside and pulled out his new one instead. It was similarly baggy and a brighter white. It wasn’t the same but… it was familiar enough to help him face each day. It was a security blanket and he wasn’t ready to let go of it.

                And he knew he would need it when he went downstairs. He hoped that maybe since it was so early no one would be awake, but he knew they might be. He didn’t want to be interrogated. He didn’t want to eat. If no one was around, he could put a bowl in the sink and lie that he ate cereal to avoid questions later on. He had been trying to do better. He really had… but today he didn’t feel like it, and with anticipating what would likely be an interesting set of questions was only making it worse.

                He wasn’t surprised when he saw the light on in the kitchen, but he ended up halfway in the room before it registered. Sora, Kairi, and Riku were sitting at the table on the other side of the room, talking quietly to each other.

                Akio hoped that he could sneak out before they saw him. He backed up to try to get away unnoticed; but they were attuned to sounds and looked up even before he stumbled from his head going fuzzy and had to catch himself on the counter.

                “Are you okay?” Sora worried.

                “I’m fine,” he asserted and continued resumed leaving the room.

                “Can you come over here, Akio?” Kairi asked. “We need to talk.”

                Akio tightened his arms around himself. He felt cold from the nervousness… it was getting bad already. He reluctantly walked the distance to the table but stopped several feet away. “What n—“ He stopped himself from saying ‘now’. He didn’t want to be so rude. “What is it?” he corrected.

                She gestured towards an empty chair to wordlessly ask him to sit down. Akio shook his head. “I’m not sitting down.”

                “Why not?” Sora asked in concern.

                “I don’t want to.” Akio hoped that would be enough of an answer. He _really_ didn’t want to explain his paranoia. How could he tell them that he was afraid of them and that he wanted an easy escape route? “Surely that’s not what you want.” Crap. He was trying to be nice. They all looked concerned, and for Akio, that was worse than anger could ever be. He sighed. “…Sorry. What’s up?” His heart was racing. This wasn’t going well at all. He had been trying; he really had… but now…

                “We want to talk to you about your Keyblade,” Riku explained carefully. He looked like he didn’t know how to approach an issue with Akio, and he didn’t. Everything they had tried had failed… little did he know that being straight to the point was the one thing that worked.

                Akio hadn’t known he was holding his breath until he released it. He relaxed. It wasn’t about him. “Okay… What about it?”

                They all looked relieved that he was reacting this way. Sora asked, “How did you get it; I mean, that one specifically?”

                “What do you mean?” Akio asked. He was still calm. The question wasn’t overly strange and nothing odd was being implied. “Why does it matter?”

                “We’re curious,” Kairi offered. She visibly relaxed as well.

                “Curious?” Akio tilted his head. What could it possibly matter? “Why?”

                Riku seemed to be thinking of a good way to put something. Instead, he chose a question. “Have you heard of Xehanort?”

                Akio’s serenity came to an abrupt end. “…Yeah…” he said and tried to act casual, but it wasn’t working very well. “Queen Minnie told me and Haru a little bit about him.”

                “He had many incarnations, and we once fought one that had the Keyblade you have now,” Riku finally said.

                Akio felt the adrenaline pumping faster in his veins. They knew? “Are you sure?” he asked breathlessly. He was afraid; terrified of what this might mean… and of what they might do.

                “We’re pretty sure.” Sora tried to be calm with his tone, but the attempt fell flat from Akio’s perspective. “We just—“

                Panic set in. “So what if it’s the same? What does it matter?” Akio tried to control his panic, but it wasn’t working at all. “I had Dad’s Keyblade at first. One night I went to sleep and when I woke up it had changed to this one,” he explained as he brought it out to show. His words were starting to grow closer together. “I don’t know if you’re right, but seriously, what does it matter?” He sent the weapon away and cringed at his stupidity as their concern increased.

                “We just wanted to make sure you’re okay,” Kairi insisted.

                Akio was completely losing his cool. It was explode or freeze, and he’d rather seem angry than afraid. “No. That’s not what you’re doing!” He tried not to yell. He didn’t want to wake up Haru, and besides… that would be even more of an overreaction. “You always say you’re worried, but you’re just being nosy! I’m fine. I’m perfectly fine!” He was saying those words more to himself than to them but they didn’t notice.

                “Akio, it’s okay,” Sora said as he stood up. His face was kind as always, but that didn’t mean much at the moment.

                “Stay away from me!” Akio backed away. He was in full panic mode now, and he knew that it wasn’t going to make them go away. “Why do you have so many questions? I don’t want to talk about things!” He was surprised he still had a voice at all. None of this was what he had imagined them being back would be… because he never expected to find them at all. “Why can’t you understand that I don’t know anything?” They were so pushy. He knew that he would never be good enough. Like this; this was ridiculous. “Why can’t you see that I just want to be left the hell alone if this is the only other option?”

                They were talking, but he couldn’t hear. Why couldn’t he be better than this? He clenched his fists and tried to get up the energy to leave the room. He had to say something, as much to himself as to his family. “There’s nothing wrong with me! I’m not crazy! I’m not some kind of monster… Just leave me alone!” He fled the room and dashed up the stairs to his room. He closed his door quietly behind him.

                “That was stupid,” he muttered to the empty room as he tried to calm his breathing. He slowly slid to the floor against the door. “Why can’t they just get it? I want to get to know them, but… I’m not good enough to. I can’t even answer their questions.” He put his head in his hands. “Why do I have to be such a coward? I know I shouldn’t be afraid of them.”

                He glanced over at his empty desk. If this was his old room the desk would be covered in papers; stories, sketches, research on other worlds. Now he had hidden it all away. He hadn’t wanted to but… he was afraid. How could he explain drawings of emblems and heartless when he had no explanation for himself? He had never known what they were, now that that he did, it scared him.

                What if they found the stories about the balance of darkness and light, or the hundreds of pages of research notes on other worlds from his time pouring over countless books, or the philosophy journals on hearts that he had done for school… What if they saw these things and decided that he was… that he was something terrible?

                And the thing that scared him the most was that he didn’t know if they would be right.

                He heard a slight knock followed by Kairi’s voice through the door. “Akio, I’m sorry,” she pleaded. “Please come out…”

                “Why should I?” he snapped. He wasn’t good enough for them… “You’re going to ask more questions that I don’t have answers to.”

                “We won’t, Akio…” Her voice was muffled by the wooden door, but the sorrow could still be heard.

                “That’s all you guys ever do,” he stated. He was painfully calm now; the cold feeling had returned. He knew it was an illusion. “It’s never just ‘hello’. It’s never just ‘how are you?’ You always ask so many things that I don’t want to talk about.”

                “Please Akio… we need to work through this,” she begged.

                “No.” He didn’t want to listen right now, because he didn’t want to talk.

                He looked around the brightening room. Sunlight filtered in through the sheer white curtains and into the well cared for room. His eyes zeroed in under his bed where papers should be. They were moved. He held his breath and tried to count to ten. “You touched my stuff.” He wasn’t sure whether to be angry or terrified.

                “I… I’m sorry; I thought it was trash,” she admitted.

                “But you looked at it, didn’t you? That’s why you guys are acting like this.”

                “What? No! I didn’t!” she insisted. “Please, Akio, come out so we can explain.”

                “What’s to explain?” He dug his nails into his palms. Pain was calming. “You invaded my space; you invaded my privacy, and now you’re making assumptions.” He shook his head. “They were just drawings and stories. And… Just leave me alone.” He took a deep breath as the fear came in another wave. He was afraid it would turn into despair if he didn’t fight it. “It was just things that I was interested in. I didn’t know what those symbols meant until you got back… and the notes, I was trying to find you guys. That was why I did so much research on worlds. I… I wanted to find you.”

                He heard her take a deep breath. Maybe she was processing that he cared. “Akio—“

                He wasn’t good enough. They thought that he hated them. “Leave me alone. I’m not a monster… All I wanted to do was see you guys again.” But he knew he couldn’t be what they wanted. “I wanted to get to know you. I wanted to be a family.” He was losing his battle for composure and his voice started shaking more with each word. He would never live up to what they wished for, he was sure. He couldn’t be good enough.

                “We don’t think you’re a monster,” she insisted. “We love you, sweetie! We’re just worried… please come out.”

                He didn’t respond. He had to get out of there. He reached up and locked the door before standing up and walking over to the window… It was large enough and he was small enough to slip through.

                He opened it and left.

0o0o0

                “What are you doing?” Haru asked Kairi. She was still trying to talk to Akio through the door.

                She turned to him. Her eyes were a torrent of concern and sadness. “We upset Akio… again… and I think it was more than usual this time.”

                Haru sighed and shook his head. “He doesn’t trust anyone in the first place. You were asking questions again, weren’t you?” She nodded. “The only way he started talking to me was I didn’t ask questions until he trusted me. I gained his trust by leaving him alone. And once he trusted me, I could ask questions when they were important.” Haru didn’t understand what went through Akio’s head, and he wasn’t sure that he wanted to… but he did want to held Sora and Kairi.

                She sighed. “I think I’m having trouble understanding that…”

                “I think that’s what is bothering him the most. He’s making it clear that he doesn’t want to talk, but you guys don’t get it.” He walked towards the door. “Can you wait downstairs? I’ll try to get him to come out.”

                “Thanks, Haru.” Kairi headed down the stairs.

                Turning back to the door, Haru knocked lightly. “Akio? It’s Haru. Can I come in?” He waited for a response. “Are you okay?” he worried. Dread filled him though he didn’t understand why.

                He tried to turn the knob. It didn’t turn. What was going on? He never locked him out.

                Luckily, he knew how to pick a lock… an odd trick he had picked up over the years. He burst in. The window was open. The curtains were flapping in the wind. He had left.

                Haru flew down the stairs. He didn’t intend to tell them where he was going… but he might need their help. He ran into the kitchen. “He’s gone!”

                They instantly stood up. “Where’d he go?” Sora asked. His eyes were wide and guilty.

                Just what had they said? Haru shook his head. “I don’t know,” he admitted.

                Kairi rushed towards the door. “We need to find him!”

                They all rushed out the door. Haru cursed under his breath. They were so stupid!

                He only had one guess as to where to go. Somewhere quiet. Somewhere calm. Somewhere comforting… the little island.

0o0o0


	25. Awaken

Chapter 25: Awaken

0o0o0

                Akio walked into the dark cave. He looked around at the drawings on the walls, stories of children long ago grown. He sighed softly as he crossed the cave. He leaned down in front of the image he was looking for. “Why can’t I trust you?” he addressed the sketches of his mother and father. “And why can’t you trust me? Why can’t you just… why can’t you just love me?” He knew that he was being self-conscious. He knew that he was letting his anxiety get to him… but that didn’t make it any easier.

                “You say you do… but I don’t see it! You ask so many questions… How can I believe it when you don’t listen to me and leave me alone?” he crouched down and sat cross-legged in front of the drawing. “I know I’m not what you expected. I know I’m a disappointment. I know that I’m just not good enough.” He shook his head. “Please… Just tell me what I’m doing wrong, and I’ll fix it!” He felt silly telling these drawings these feelings. He knew full well that those words would never reach the people the images depicted if he didn’t approach them. But it was far easier to talk to them when they weren’t really there.

                Today almost felt like the day he had left. He wanted to lie on the ground of this cave and sleep in hope that he’d relax like he did back then. Maybe his mind would come to a clear conclusion; maybe he could make sense of the Keyblade question… but he knew they’d find him sooner or later. It was amazing to have people who cared, but it made it tricky to escape when he panicked. They’d catch up soon. He wasn’t ready to be found.

                He stood up and looked around the empty cave, so full of memories of so many people. He knew that Origin was like this cave. As long as someone remembered him, he would never go away. Akio knew that Origin would be back and he knew the worlds were still in danger. A part of him wanted to go and try to fix things… but right now he was alone. He didn’t know if he _really_ wanted to run off on his own again like before. He knew he wouldn’t have survived the previous journey without Haru to help. He wouldn’t have survived that wound without people by his side. The pieces of his heart had been knitted back together recently, his life growing into much more than it ever had been in the first place, and it was all thanks to these people.

                _“Go home, Akio,”_ Yami suggested. The darkness in his heart, strangely enough, seemed to want what was best for Akio these days. _“They’re waiting for you. They aren’t afraid of you. They don’t hate you.”_

                “But I’m not good enough to go back,” he muttered. His eyes were focused on the drawings on the walls. “Besides; what if I’m afraid of myself?”

                A light nearly snuffed out by the darkness. Those were the words that Origin had spoken, and while Akio was aware that Origin was manipulative, he knew that was a fact.

                “I mean, you aren’t the only weird darkness in my head anymore, right Yami? I can tell something’s up.”

                _“Well… you’re right. But we’ve got things under control, you and me,”_ Yami insisted. _“We’re a team, and you’ve got a team out there too. You just have to let them help you…”_

                “What about your Keyblade, Yami? And how did I know all of those things back then?” Akio questioned the darkness. “How did I know what Heartless and Nobodies were; how did I know how to get around Radiant Garden?” He paused. “And what about those nightmares that you’re keeping me away from? You say they aren’t memories from Xehanort, but I’m sure they are.”

                He fell silent as he left the cave into the now burning sunlight. He headed towards his boat. He wasn’t ready to go home yet, but he would anyway. Somehow, he was convinced that maybe they didn’t think he was evil after all.

                _“Don’t worry about those dreams, Akio. They’re just remnants, slivers that remain. I promise you that you don’t hold the kind of anger that Xehanort did.”_

But Akio thought he did. Earlier that day, for instance.

                _“First of all, that wasn’t anger,”_ Yami argued.

                But Akio was too busy trying to locate a sound to pay attention. He whipped around and found himself face to face with a foe he knew he had not truly defeated. “Origin,” Akio acknowledged. He summoned his Keyblade.

                And he was momentarily distracted by it. It wasn’t the same as before. This Keyblade was blue and less delicate… this was his own Keyblade and not Xehanort’s… but he didn’t have time to ponder it.

                “Ah, Akio…” Origin slowly came closer. “The one I underestimated.” He held no weapon. “Who would have thought that someone like _you_ could trick someone like _me?”_

                Akio stood firmly in place. There was no way he was going to back down or show any fear. “What do you want, Origin?” It was ironic; he wasn’t afraid of this bozo. He never was afraid of danger… but his parents? That was another matter entirely.

                The white haired man smirked. “I want whom you hold imprisoned.” He took another step forward. “I want Xehanort.”

                “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Akio replied honestly. “But just a reminder; I handled you on my own before, and this time I’m sure that backup is on the way.”

                “Since when do you need backup?” Origin sneered. Akio felt him trying to manipulate his mind, trying to draw out painful memories like he had before. Akio fought it. He concentrated on positive and recent memories. He wasn’t afraid of this man and his powers. “I thought you were a loner; I thought you didn’t need anyone… I thought you could take care of yourself.”

                “Don’t get me wrong, I _can_ take care of myself!” Akio stated. “But extra eyes and ears never hurt!”

                “Prideful as always, I see. Good. Hold onto that darkness.” Origin smiled sinisterly. “I suppose you know what to expect.” He vanished and emerged behind Akio with his weapon swinging towards him.

                But Akio had indeed been expecting the action and blocked the attack. “You don’t even have any new moves? How pathetic,” he taunted.

                “Oh, but you’re wrong on that one.” Origin teleported once more, but yet again Akio was able to block him. “Don’t you recall the Dusks?” Three of the mentioned creatures rose from the ground and joined the fray.

                Akio darted out of the circle before he attacked again. He was glad that he wasn’t off balance in battle as he had been recently. “I figured they were from you.”

                Origin furrowed his brow. “How are you faster? How do you have better techniques? You already fought like a Master.”

                “Unlike you, I’m not just a memory,” Akio suggested. He dodged another assault from multiple sides and defeated the small Nobodies. “I’m capable of evolving and changing.” He kept moving and enticing Origin to attack. He wanted to keep the man’s eyes on him rather than on the ocean to see the approaching boats. He wasn’t worried about causing any damage to Origin this time; he only needed to keep his focus directed on him… because if he saw them, he could hurt them.

                “I’m capable of learning and creating new experiences…” Akio continued. He glanced over Origin’s shoulder. He breathed a sigh of relief. “I’m sure there are a lot of other impressive things I could come up with, but we’re out of time.”

                Haru rushed onto the dock yelling his name and their parents were immediately behind.

                Origin turned around, but when he saw so many drawn Keyblades he couldn’t help but back up. He nearly ran into Akio before turning and fleeing into a portal.

                Akio held back the desire to follow him through. That wouldn’t be smart. Something could happen if he was alone. He needed to remember to accept help rather than do everything on his own. He hadn’t been trained, after all, and he highly doubted that he fought like a Master. He could easily be hurt. He had been before.

                He had been watching his parents train and had taken note of every movement, but it wasn’t the same as training. Still, those observations were what had allowed him to keep Origin’s attention.

                “Was that Origin?” Haru asked frantically when he reached Akio, who stood staring at where the portal had been.

                “Yeah,” was all Akio replied. He was trying to process what Origin had said after he had ignored it during the fight. ‘ _I want Xehanort…’_

                “Are you okay?” Haru continued to worry.

                “I’m fine,” Akio insisted.

                The Keyblade Masters quickly caught up; they had landed their boats only moments after Haru. “What happened?” Kairi asked. Her eyes searched Akio for injuries.

                Akio shrugged, having to pull his sweater back into place. He didn’t want to tell the whole story and he wasn’t sure what was going on anyway. A half-truth would do. “He showed up, I held him off, and he ran away.”

                In that moment the Keyblade in his hand caught his eye. It was different. It was new. He lifted it to get a better look. It was mostly dark blue with a silver hilt. Entirely his and never Xehanort’s. He tilted his head at the observation… but then it occurred to him that people were watching him, so he sent it away, cringing internally at the attention he had brought to himself.

                “Did he say anything?” Haru wondered.

                “Not really,” Akio replied. The lie flowed more comfortably than the truth. He had spoken so many lies before it was like they were his native language. Haru didn’t even seem to notice. “He just started jabbering some stuff about having brought those Dusks here. I wasn’t paying much attention.” Not entirely a lie.

                He noticed Riku was studying him carefully with knowing eyes… the man could tell he wasn’t being completely honest. It was unsettling.

                “Anyway…” Akio looked down. “I guess we should just keep our eyes open in case he shows up again.”

0o0o0

                Kairi, Sora, and Riku were all a bit frustrated that Akio insisted on acting like nothing had happened; that his reason for running to the islet wasn’t because of what they did… that everything was normal. It was so bizarre, and besides, they had other worries.

                “Why does Origin seem to be targeting Akio?” Sora voiced the question on all of their minds.

                “Well, he _did_ defeat him once,” Kairi proposed. “If he’s anything like Xehanort he obsesses over people that he can’t defeat.”

                “I think Akio knows,” Riku suggested. They looked over. “But he doesn’t want to tell us. He was lying earlier, back on the beach. Origin said something.”

                “What makes you think he was lying?” Sora wondered in honest confusion.

                “He seemed so confident when he said Origin hadn’t said anything. He was acting so differently from usual.” He paused. “But the moment the subject changed, he went back to how he normally is around us… he’s uncomfortable telling the truth.”

                “Then how can we get him to tell us?” Kairi mused. “He doesn’t trust us.”

0o0o0

                Everything was hazy. Akio didn’t know where his feet here taking him. All he knew was that he was afraid, and that the laughter in the back of his mind was not his own nor was it Yami’s.

0o0o0


	26. Collision

Chapter 26: Collision

0o0o0

                _Haru woke up on the couch to see Akio pacing across the living room lost in thought. He rubbed his eyes. “What’s wrong, Akio?”_

_Akio looked up at him. Something was off. First of all, he didn’t recognize the expression. Was it sadness? Confusion? But even beyond those facts… something wasn’t right._

_Akio sighed and shook his head. “I don’t even know what’s wrong,” he admitted. He sat down next to Haru. “And that’s the problem.”_

_“Something Origin said?” Haru asked. He blinked and tried to catch a good glimpse of Akio’s face… Something wasn’t right here._

_“That’s not it.” Akio rolled his eyes. “Sure, Origin said something weird. I was expecting that. It’s just… it makes sense.”_

_The closer Haru listened it became obvious that the voice was incorrect; this wasn’t Akio… but it wouldn’t hurt to play along for a short while, right? “What did he say?” Haru pressed._

_“He said, ‘I want whom you hold prisoner.’” He fell silent._

_Haru looked at him closely. What was going on? If this wasn’t Akio, then who was it? “You’re not—“_

_“I’m going to try to find out what’s he’s talking about,” the fake interrupted. “You should stay here; it’s safer!”_

_This wasn’t Akio. Akio wouldn’t say that. “I thought we were going to let our parents handle things,” Haru said after a moment’s pause. “What changed?”_

_“How can I wait?” This Akio was being quite patient… too patient. There was no anxiety in his voice. “If Origin is insisting on following me, I can’t let them go out and ‘fix’ things.”_

_Haru was done with this ruse. “Okay; you’re not Akio.” He stood up in front of the fake._

_It looked up in shock, but Haru finally caught a glimpse of its eyes. They were indeed the wrong shade of blue… he had certainly looking into Akio’s eyes enough times to tell. “What are you talking about, Haru?” the fake prodded._

_As worried as Haru was, as much as he wanted to find out if Akio had really left, he wasn’t letting this fake stay a moment longer. “I don’t know what you did to Akio, but I know that you’re not him!”_

_The fake glared. Its eyes flashed between shades of blue like it was trying to change them to the proper hue. “Haru, our parents said that my Keyblade belonged to Xehanort. They know! I have to get away from them!”_

_The illusion… what was its purpose? Misdirection? “I don’t know if that’s true, but I know that you aren’t Akio!” Haru was frustrated. “So go away so I can find him!”_

_The fake shook its head. “What are you talking about Haru?” He sighed. “You saw the way they looked at me yesterday. They were afraid.”  Ah. It made sense now. It was trying to turn him against them. “I have to get away!”_

_Haru conjured his Keyblade. “Give Akio back or leave.”_

_The fake’s eyes widened as it changed into a shadow that dissipated as Haru struck it._

0o0o0

                Then Haru woke up in the living room, alone. It was evening now. He had been asleep. Origin; Origin could enter dreams. He had to have done it! But why?

                He rushed up the stairs to check on Akio; he was gone. Origin had taken him? Haru didn’t take much time to question it. He rushed out the front door. That had been an illusion, but something was very wrong nevertheless.

…

                It didn’t take long for Haru to reach the little islet. He started running towards the Secret Place… but time seemed to slow down and when he looked around… he was in a dark ruin.

                _“What’s going on?” he asked as he looked around. A figure emerged from the shadows. Its hair was long and silver and pulled back into a ponytail; its eyes were golden… but the face… the face was like Akio’s. “The imposter from earlier?” Haru accused as he summoned his Keyblade._

_“C’mon Haru, chill.” The guy had a strange, warped voice that rang out like a combination of many. “You can put the Keyblade away, man. I’m not going to hurt you.” Haru studied the figure. Deeming it honest, he lowered his Keyblade… but he didn’t send it away._

_The figure smirked. “You must be Haru.”_

_“Um… Yeah. Who are you?”_

_“I’m Yami… Dude, please put away the Keyblade.” Haru looked down at his hands and complied. “Thanks man. I guess Akio didn’t get a chance to tell you my name. I’m an entity made from the darkness in his heart.” The figure frowned. “However, there’s not time for introductions. I need you to listen to me.”_

_Haru nodded. Maybe this person could help him, if they were who they claimed._

_“Thanks. Here’s the deal, Haru: Akio’s trying to call for you, but his voice can’t get out right now, so I’m here to fetch you instead,” he began. “And I guess that weirdo that Origin sent to try to hold you off earlier backfired, thank goodness.”_

_“Yeah,” Haru agreed._

_The entity took a step forwards but stopped when Haru stepped back. It smiled sadly. “You don’t need to be afraid of me,” Yami assured. He almost seemed hurt. “But… back on track. Long story short, our man Akio is having some trouble holding on to himself right now… and on top of that, Origin has him at the moment.” Yami furrowed his brow. “It ticks me off. Especially since Origin’s made Xehanort act up… Welcome to Akio’s heart by the way…” Yami gestured at a dark blob in the distance. “He’s trying to break through and chase me out.” The blob was blocked by a shield of light. “Right now, Akio’s protecting us; but I need you to get out of here and get to work!”_

_“Of course,” Haru agreed._

_Yami sighed. “Anyway, Haru, Akio’s my friend. We have to stop this.” Yami’s face grew determined. “I’m not letting anything happen to him in here, but you need to protect his body. Capische? Go pull a prince charming thing and rescue him, ‘kay?”_

_As puzzled and Haru was by Yami, he believed him. “Where do I need to go?”_

_“You’re headed the right direction: the Secret Place. There’s a portal. They’re through there. Step on it!” Yami held a hand towards the shield. “Go get your man back!” With that, Haru was shoved out of the ruin and he saw the darkness burst through the barrier._

                Back in reality he started running faster. It was right over there. He needed to get there. Now.

                Like Yami had said, there was a portal beside the strange door in the back of the room. He didn’t hesitate before sprinting through.

0o0o0

                Kairi looked up as she heard the front door slamming shut. She rushed into the living room. A group of shadow heartless stood within it. “Guys! Get in here!” she yelled to Sora and Riku.

                The heartless were quickly defeated and a quick scan of the house found neither Akio nor Haru.

                Kairi dashed out the door ahead of Sora and Riku, a feat that wouldn’t normally be possible. But all she could think was _what have I done?_ She blamed herself. If they hadn’t upset Akio earlier, they would still be here. The boys… they had to be safe!

                The moment they reached the islet she ran into the Secret Place and through the portal within without waiting for Sora and Riku to catch up.

0o0o0

                Haru was horrified by what he saw in the distance of this dry empty canyon. Well, it was empty other than two people. Haru ran towards them as quickly as he could.

                Origin stood over Akio who lay on the ground unconscious. “Get away from him!” Haru ordered and he kept running.

                His fright only grew what he saw what was in Origin’s hands. “It’s strange, really.” Origin held the black and white Keyblade above Akio. “All it took was a simply link and I can hold this.” He laughed and glanced up at Haru. “And there’s nothing that someone like you can do to stop me.

                Haru knew his plan might not work from the moment he came up with it, but he had no other ideas. He charged at Origin with his Keyblade ready to swing. Origin started to thrust the Keyblade into Akio’s heart—and Haru knocked it from his hands sending it flying into the distance where it disappeared in a burst of light. He redirected his weapon at Origin… and the attack connected.

                “What?” Origin squawked. “How can you hurt me?”

                Haru heard yelling from behind; their family. Origin faded away.

                Haru picked Akio up off the ground… he was unconscious. His face looked pained. “Akio…”

                “Haru!” Riku called worriedly as they caught up.

                Kairi reached them first. She frantically tried to reach Akio. “He’s hurt!”

                Haru backed up. He was panicking. What if they _did_ know about Akio’s connection to Xehanort? Akio certainly wasn’t in any state to defend himself. “Stay away!” he snarled before he could even comprehend what he was saying.

                The Masters looked understandably shocked. “We’re just trying to help, Haru,” Riku tried to explain. He took a step closer.

                Haru raised his hand and a barrier of wind appeared between them. “Don’t come any closer!” The logical part of his brain told him he was panicking, but… what if the fake had been right? What if they _were_ scared that Akio was somehow Xehanort? What would they do?

                “What’s wrong, Haru? We aren’t going to hurt you!” Sora tried to explain.

                But it fell on deaf ears. He growled. He pulled his Wayfinder from his pocket and focused his energy through the charm. “But you would hurt Xehanort.” He backed through the portal. “So stay the hell away!” It closed behind him.

                He turned around. They were in a white hallway. “Where… where are we?”

0o0o0


	27. Regret

Chapter 27: Regret

0o0o0

                Sora, Kairi, and Riku stood in the canyon. They were baffled. “’We might hurt Xehanort?’” Sora wondered. “What could he have been talking about?”

                Kairi shook her head, but Riku looked over. “I… I mentioned that the Keyblade had been Xehanort’s… what if…”

                “What if Haru believes we think Akio is Xehanort?” Kairi finished the thought.

                “Well crap,” Sora resigned.

                They stepped through the portal into the Secret Place. Kairi was the last through. The portal closed immediately thereafter. They had no way of finding where Haru had taken Akio; there was not a trace, not a hint…

                _I’m a terrible mother,_ Kairi could help but think.

                She looked around the cave. Her eyes zeroed in on a drawing she had nearly forgotten… How could she forget it? It had faded a bit with time, but the memory was clear as day. She could remember the day that she and Sora had drawn one another, smiling and facing each other; and she remembered the day many years later that she had added the paopu fruit. It was a powerful reminder of the days before their journeys had even begun.

                She paused in mid step. The dust on the ground was disrupted below the drawing… someone had been there. Was this where Akio had gone after the argument? Had he come here, to _them_ when they weren’t listening to him? He had been so upset… could he have wanted them for support but not thought they understood?

                She swallowed her sadness for the time being. They had to focus on the task at hand. They had to find their children.

                “We’re terrible parents, aren’t we?” she couldn’t help but ask.

                “I feel like it right now,” Sora agreed.

                Riku shook his head. “We’re basically new at this parenting thing. We haven’t been around for ten years. We don’t know our children. We… we didn’t get to watch them grow. All we can do now is try to learn about them today.”

                Kairi closed her eyes. “We made this mess. Now we have to find Akio and Haru and get them to safety… I mean, if we hadn’t scared Akio this morning, he never would have run off. He never would have run into Origin, and he and Haru would be safe at home.” She paused and opened her eyes. “And beyond that: if we hadn’t left ten years ago… Akio never would have gone through what he did. Even though we don’t know what that was, I know that it must have been something terrible.” She hadn’t been there to protect him… In her mind, this was her fault.

                There was a long silence before any of the three could speak. They knew her words were true.

                Sora cleared his throat. “Standing here isn’t solving anything,” he acknowledged. “We have to start looking… but where?”

                A sound behind them grabbed their attention. They looked where the portal had been. Now there was another. A white room was visible through it. “What’s that?” Sora asked.

                “Our place to start,” Riku said with a nod.

0o0o0


	28. Connected

Chapter 28: Connected

0o0o0

                _“Haru!” the young Akio called as he dashed across the beach. His bruises ached, but… it was summer, so he was smiling, just like he always did._

_Haru looked up, but he was frowning. “Akio, my mom says we can’t play together anymore.”_

_The child’s smile disappeared. “But why?” What had he done wrong?_

_“She said they’re hurting you,” Haru explained. “I don’t want them to hurt you… I can see the bruises, Akio! I know she’s right!”_

_Akio shook his head. He was startled, but at least it wasn’t something he had done… maybe he could change her mind?_

_“But you’re my best friend for all time!” Akio protested. “They don’t hurt me because of you!”_

_“You’re my best friend too… but Mom won’t let me…” Haru stared at the ground._

_Akio stiffened, but his face became very serious. There wasn’t any way out of this. “Haru; remember those charms we shared?”_

_“Yeah…” Haru looked up. “What about them?”_

_“They’re Wayfinders.” Akio pulled his out. Haru grabbed his too. “As long as we have them, our hearts will always find their way back together, right?”_

_Haru nodded skeptically. “Right…”_

_“So I promise: I will always be your best friend, and no matter how long it takes, I will find our parents someday! We can be together again! I promise I’ll come back!”_

_…_

_Akio opened his eyes. He stood on a beach alone, staring out at the moonlit ocean. He slowly looked around. Where was he? How had he gotten there? He tried to figure it out, but nothing was making any sense. The air around him was heavy and the only thing he knew for sure was that something was missing… that something had changed._

_That was when he saw someone across the beach. The silver haired stranger was not Yami, and Akio had a sinking feeling that this situation was far direr than he initially expected._

_The stranger gazed out into the ocean. He hadn’t yet noticed Akio, and for Akio’s part he thought it was wise to keep it that way._

_He studied the stranger. They had silver hair, tanned skin, dark clothing; and for lack of another word, the stranger seemed evil, without a doubt. Could this… could this be Xehanort?_

_Akio was curious, but he contained himself and stayed put. If this was indeed the aforementioned master there would be a battle when he was spotted._

_This had to be Origin’s doing; Origin was the last face he had seen before he came to this place. Yes… this was just another mind game._

_But when he saw someone on the ground beside the stranger, someone whom he recognized, his thoughts changed and he could no longer stay still. Yami lay on the ground unconscious and battered; there was blood on his clothing._

_It became clear to Akio that this must be his own heart. Xehanort; this must have been what Yami was trying to hide. It was clear that this wasn’t Origin’s work after all; this was the actions of someone far darker: the one and only Xehanort._

_“What did you do to Yami?” Akio screamed as he crossed the beach._

_The stranger turned, and upon seeing the face Akio knew that his suspicions were correct. Regardless of the fact that he knew he should not recognize this man, he knew who it was._

_“So we finally meet.” Xehanort’s eyes darkened. “’Yami’ had certainly been trying to prevent it.”_

_“Shut up, Xehanort!” Akio growled._

_The man in question raised an eyebrow. “Oh? You know who I am?” He tilted his head… he didn’t look like someone capable of the evil he had once caused._

_“Of course I know who you are!” Akio snapped. “I don’t know how, but I do!”_

_“I suppose it must be nice to know who has invaded your heart,” Xehanort said with a smirk. “It won’t be long before it’s no longer yours anyway.”_

_The man darted in for an attack. Though Xehanort was swift, Akio was swifter and managed to slide to the side as he summoned his Keyblade. He lunged in to attack but was blocked._

_“I see that Yami may not have been exaggerating,” the silver haired man noted. He was speaking in a way that seemed like they were having a casual chat. He seemed far more patient than the memories that remained. “It’s a wonder that I was able to control you long enough to get you to Origin… but he was a failure, as usual.”_

_Akio paused when Xehanort stopped attacking. The man smirked. “You’re still as merciful as when your heart was born. How cute.”_

_“Shut up!” Akio retorted. “I’m not like you. I don’t cheat!”_

_“A trait that you share with Sora,” Xehanort replied._

_“Is that supposed to be an insult?” Akio wondered. “I’m not like him, but I’m certainly more like him than you!”_

_“That’s where you’re wrong,” Xehanort claimed. “You have far more light in your heart than that dull, ordinary boy ever did. You were a wise choice to attempt to contain me… But a mistake on your part.” He tried to sneak behind, but Akio followed his movements. “That ‘Yami’ of yours isn’t even a fraction of your darkness. Your darkness has grown into something far greater than anticipated. You’ve nearly lost many times.” He tried to trick Akio with a doppelganger, but Akio did not fall for it._

_Still the man didn’t seem the least bit annoyed. “Impressive,” Xehanort remarked. “You fight like a Master. Pity that such a level of skill is going to waste with your noble intentions; if only you’d join me willingly we could both thrive.”_

_Akio glared as he lunged in to attack… but Xehanort was as quick as he was. “You know,” Akio growled. “I’m really getting tired of people telling me that I’m a waste.”_

_“Ah yes, many people in your life have said those words to you… you’ve wondered before whether they may be right.” He lunged forward, but as per usual, Akio was able to get out of the way. “However, the true waste is Yami. It’s no wonder he was so easy for you to tame… He failed at his duty to protect you far too easily.”_

_Keyblades clashed. “So why aren’t you in hell where you belong?” Akio countered._

_“Is that not what your mind once was? Was it not a prison; were you not trapped in a life of torture?” Akio gritted his teeth and pushed with all his might against the powerful Keyblade. “Besides, it’s your fault that I’m here,” Xehanort taunted, breaking the standoff and trying to slice into Akio; he missed by fractions of an inch. “You tried to trap me here to prevent my return.”_

_“You know, you’re getting really annoying,” Akio groaned. He wasn’t going to give up even though he was beginning to slow down involuntarily. He had to keep fighting!_

_At that moment, both noticed that Yami was no longer on the ground; he was behind Xehanort. “Perhaps you’re right,” Yami taunted, “but you’ll never beat Akio.”_

_Both he and Akio attacked, knocking the shocked Xehanort back and combining their energies of light and darkness to return him to the corner of Akio’s heart to be safely contained._

_The dark entity fell to its knees. “Yami!” Akio worried as he stopped the being from falling. “What did he do to you?”_

_“I tried to fight him; I really did,” Yami said weakly. “But he broke through; he snuck up on me. I’m sorry, Akio.”_

_“Here.” Akio did his best to heal him. “You need energy too so we can keep an eye out for each other.”_

_“You need to wake up,” Yami protested._

_“What if he breaks out?” Akio argued. “I need to stay here and stop him.”_

_“What about Haru and your parents?” Yami interjected._

_“I’m sure they’re okay…” he told himself. “They can’t hurt Origin on their own, but… if they work together…”_

_“They can at least watch each other’s backs.” Yami groaned. “The only problem is that Haru thinks that your parents are going to hurt you… so he’s running away.”_

_Akio blinked. “Huh? What happed to him being sure that I was being overcautious?”_

_“I think he was just trying to get you to relax. I imagine he was already afraid, even before you told him about your connection to Xehanort.”_

_“Great.” He knew that he hadn’t been the most trusting, that he had been freaking out, but did he really rub off on Haru? “So what am I supposed to do? I can’t leave here to tell him not to run! Xehanort could get out!”_

_“No… but you can get a message through.”_

0o0o0

                Haru jumped as his Wayfinder glowed in his pocket. He rushed to pull it out. A letter appeared in the air in front of it in a poof. He warily picked up the piece of paper. His eyes widened when he recognized the handwriting.

                _“Haru:_

_Let our parents find us. You need them to help you find Origin.”_

                “Akio?” Haru asked the piece of paper before he shook his head in acknowledgement that it was just that: a piece of paper.

                _“I can’t get back out there yet,”_ it continued. _“Some pretty bad stuff is happening in here. I had to fight Xehanort himself! It wasn’t a fun battle, and if Yami hadn’t been there to help me… Yami’s the darkness guy I told you about, by the way._

_“You need to let our families catch up. I know that none of you can harm Origin, so you need to have lots of eyes to keep you and me safe, since I’m not able to be out there fighting. If… if you have to explain things to them, go ahead. I understand._

_Just be careful, alright?_

_Akio”_

                Haru’s heart fell when he finished reading. “He’s fighting Xehanort on his own?” he worried. He looked at the unconscious teen on the floor. “Why do I have to be so helpless?” he asked himself in disgust.

0o0o0


	29. Waiting

Chapter 29: Waiting

                Sora, Riku, and Kairi stepped through the portal. They emerged in an empty white hallway. “Where are we?” Riku asked dully.

                “I guess this is where we’re going to start searching,” Sora replied with a shrug. “I mean, what other choice do we have?”

                Kairi nodded and without a word she began running down the hallway. She only slowed down for a moment for the boys to catch up before she returned to a full sprint. This was her fault in her mind. It was her fault so she had to fix it.

0o0o0

                Haru still sat in the white room, waiting impatiently for Riku, Sora, and Kairi to _hopefully_ catch up because simply put, he couldn’t carry his unconscious boyfriend _and_ fight at the same time. And really, he couldn’t figure out Akio’s sudden change of attitude and it worried him. If something was so severe that he told Haru to break his secrecy of the past and that ‘Yami’ person, then Akio surely needed help in there… and that worried him more than anything ever could.

                Akio always acted tough, like he could and would take on anything. But Haru knew otherwise. Akio was certainly not fragile, but he had weaknesses like everyone else did. Akio was brave, and he’d get through this; but that confidence could lead to reckless actions once more. Haru loved Akio for that bravery and everything he was and could ever be, but… here he was on the ground, unconscious and probably fighting for control of his life.

                Haru looked up when he heard footsteps approaching. He reluctantly tore his sight away from Akio to watch for the source. He was instantly grateful when they came around the corner. It was their families, not some enemy, not Origin. Apparently he still had a little luck left.

                He didn’t wave them over, but he didn’t run either. He looked back at Akio, sighing in relief that he hadn’t magically disappeared. He was still there; unconscious, but still breathing.

                Riku was the first to spot him and ran faster. “Haru!” he yelled. He sounded so relieved.

                Haru didn’t move beyond a sheepish wave. He had made quite a mess of things by overreacting back in the canyon; but then again, who _wouldn’t_ panic when their best friend/love interest was lying on the ground with someone above preparing to shove a Keyblade through them? Even after Origin was gone, the adrenaline hadn’t had long enough to fade. He ran… What else could he do?

                The three adults finally reached him. They were breathing hard from what was evidently a long run. “You’re okay!” Kairi said with a relieved smile… until she spotted Akio on the floor. “Aren’t you?” she worried.

                “Yeah, about that…” Haru rubbed the back of his neck. “I _might_ have overreacted… a bit. I shouldn’t have run off.”

                “Do you know why Akio is unconscious?” Sora was understandably concerned.

                “Oh um…” Haru took a deep breath. Akio had told him to say whatever he had to… “So this is going to be confusing and weird, but… Akio apparently has made the darkness in his heart into a form with which he can communicate. This darkness told him that he is holding Xehanort captive.” He held up a finger in case they were going to speak. “But I’ve talked to this darkness person… somehow… and he seems like a pretty cool guy. He said he doesn’t want anything to happen to Akio.”

                “Okay, that doesn’t explain why he’s unconscious.” Riku was visibly trying to stay patient.

                “I’m getting there,” Haru assured. “When I found Akio in the canyon, Origin was standing over him holding a Keyblade. He was apparently trying to release Xehanort, whom Akio _apparently_ is or was fighting somewhere, according to this letter.” He held up the letter. “He said that I should let you guys find us so we can find and fight Origin.”

                The Keyblade Masters looked at each other. They were confused and concerned… but Haru noted that they weren’t afraid or angry.

                Kairi swallowed and asked the question on all of their minds regardless of their other worries. “Why did you run?”

                Haru laughed nervously and rubbed the back of his neck again. “Well, to be honest…” He looked down. “I thought that if you know Akio was holding Xehanort that you might… you might have to do something, and I didn’t know what that would be.” He looked back up. It was no surprise that they looked shocked and hurt by the accusation. “I guess the fear was unnecessary, but I didn’t know! I mean, Xehanort’s bad news… I didn’t know how desperate you might be to get rid of him.” He sighed. “And Akio’s been so afraid, it was rubbing off on me!”

                “I think I understand,” Sora acknowledged after a pause.

                “But we’d _never_ hurt either of you!” Kairi assured. Riku gave a single nod of agreement.

                “Yeah, well…” Haru mumbled. He wasn’t sure what to say. “Sorry I was afraid you would. I mean… I guess I don’t know you guys, and I wanted to protect him! I just got him away from Origin… I wasn’t about to chance him getting hurt again.” He looked down.

                They all looked at Akio once more. “He’s taking on Xehanort all alone,” Sora said sadly, “and there’s nothing we can do to help him.”

                Haru shook his head. “Yes there is,” he announced as he stood up. “We can get rid of Origin!”

                Kairi nodded. “So what’s the plan?” she asked. “Two of us stay with Akio and two of us got to find Origin?”

                “I don’t think we should split up,” Haru disagreed. “I mean, as far as we know Akio’s the only one of us who can hurt Origin. I _think_ I managed to hit Origin back in the canyon but I don’t know for sure. We need to figure out how to stop him, but I don’t want any of us to get cornered and unable to fight… we don’t have Akio to save the day this time.”

                “He’s right,” Sora reasoned. “We should stick together. The last time we split up… well, we ended up missing for ten years.”

                “We don’t know where Origin went,” Riku added, “but I doubt he’ll come to us.”

                Haru looked back at Akio, halfway hoping that he would wake up and chime in. He had always been the problem solver. He took a deep breath and tried to think. What would Akio do in this situation?

                His mind wandered back to their last journey. He tried to remember the little things Akio would say when he took charge. _‘In your own words, ‘you need to relax’!’_ was the first thing that came to mind. It calmed him down… Then, remembering where that had happened, in Traverse Town, it hit him. _‘But we need to keep **moving.** We have to figure out what’s going on.’_

                Haru looked up. “We need to keep moving! We’ll figure something out… That’s what Akio would say.” He looked back at his unconscious friend. “I know it’ll be hard to bring him along, but if we keep moving maybe we’ll be able to find Origin or get Origin to find us.”

                “No worries; I can carry him,” Sora offered. “And you know; you’re probably right. The best thing to do always seems to be keep moving until something makes sense. It’ll happen eventually.”

                “Well, to be honest… I literally quoted Akio from our last journey. It wasn’t my wisdom.” He smiled softly at Akio. “I can’t tell you how many times he’d say ‘let’s go.’ At first I thought I was the leader, but it wasn’t long before I found out otherwise. I’m too emotional. I was too focused on finding you guys. He was paying attention to everything else too; the heartless and Origin. He knew that if we could find out more about them, finding you guys would follow.” He was so frustrated with himself. “I don’t know what I’m going to do without him telling me what to do.”

                “You’ll be fine,” Kairi reassured.

                But they all looked at each other. They understood what it was like to lack your support system.

                Haru shrugged. “Maybe we should use his usual attitude of ‘winging’ things. That always seemed to work… though I’m not sure how much of it _actually_ wasn’t planned.”

                “Well, you’re not alone,” Riku pointed out, “and we’re far more experienced fighters than Akio, so I don’t think it should be a problem.”

                Haru scoffed. “You’ve never seen Akio fight. Unless you guys are a lot different in battle than how you train, he’s got you beat with speed alone.” He chuckled at the doubt in their eyes. “He’s fearless. He doesn’t care if he gets hurt… That’s how he ended up so badly injured when we found you. He should be more cautious… but in the end his recklessness does a lot of damage.” He shook his head. “But that’s why I’m worried about him fighting Xehanort alone; he’s reckless. He ended up hurt so many times protecting me.”

                Kairi frowned. “I’m sure he’ll be okay…” she said as much to herself as to Haru.

0o0o0


	30. Searching

Chapter 30: Searching

                _Akio stood up to stretch, glancing back at the corner of his heart where Xehanort was contained; he was struggling, but for now he wasn’t getting out. He and Yami knew that Xehanort was sure he would win; it was obvious, and since he hadn’t yet, he would come back fighting harder than ever. Xehanort hated to lose… but who wouldn’t if losing meant their end?_

_“How long do you think we can hold him?” Yami asked._

_Akio shrugged. “I have no idea. Sorry…”_

_“Don’t be sorry. I shouldn’t have let this happen in the first place.”_

_“What are you saying? It’s not your fault.” Akio sat back down. “I mean, I guess you could have warned me of what was going on, but you were trying to handle it; you’re as stubborn as I am.”_

_Yami looked down guiltily. “I just…”_

_“You just what?”_

_“I’ve lied to you so many times. I told you that Xehanort was gone; I said that I was part of him, and that I was the only part of him that remained within you. Yes, Origin might have sped up the process, but I knew I wouldn’t be able to fight Xehanort forever.”_

_Akio studied him. “What else did you lie about?”_

_Yami looked away. “I said he was sorry for what he did…”_

_“And he’s not.” Akio nodded in acknowledgement._

_“You know though,” Yami began. “I am. I’ve always been… Sometimes I don’t even remember what Xehanort was before the darkness overcame him. It’s like it disappeared. I mean, I wasn’t always a conscious being, you know?” He frowned. “But even without knowing what his thoughts and feelings were… sometimes, I think that I’ve always been the good one and Xehanort has always been evil.”_

_“What do you mean?”_

_“Well… I’m not the darkness that Xehanort turned to; that was something else. I don’t remember anything about him before that. I remember a lot of things he did after I went dormant, but I guess…” Yami continued to stare at the holding cell. “I just don’t understand what went wrong. Was I not good enough? Was I not… was I not dark enough?” He picked some sand up off of the ground and let it slide through his fingers. “I don’t understand why he was so desperate to find something else.”_

_“Hey, the past is in the past, so don’t worry about it.” But Akio was curious; what if… could Yami not belong to the darkness after all?_

_“You say that, but you know very well how powerful the past can be; you’ve told people that. You know better than anyone!” Yami noted. “I just… I have to wonder if everything wasn’t my fault…” He shook his head. “I know it is; if I had been stronger, if I had been better, he never would have gotten out! If I had been less stubborn and told you what was going on, you would be safe!” He looked down. “If I had stayed just a wall of darkness… everything would still be okay.”_

_Akio studied him. “Yami, I’m glad that you’re more than a barrier now,” he assured. “Look at it this way; it doesn’t matter if you were ‘strong enough’ or not. It doesn’t matter how much the past truly effects the present. We can’t change it anyway, no matter how terrible things were or how they are now.” Yami studied him, and Akio would tell that he wasn’t telling the whole truth of what was on his mind. He tried to ignore it to continue his train of thought. “I mean, you’re trying to fix things now; you attached yourself to Xehanort so that you would stop him if anything else happened, right? That’s why you’re here.” Yami nodded. “Which is great; and now you’re trying to help me defeat him.” Akio looked at him. “You may have lied, but you’ve never done anything to make me not trust you. Isn’t that enough?”_

_Yami stared blankly for a moment. “Thanks, Akio,” the dark entity said as he returned his focus on maintaining the turbulent prison. “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”_

0o0o0

                Hours later, Haru shook his head in disgust. “We haven’t found a single sign of him. Nothing!” He was beyond frustrated now. He was ticked off… because the sooner they found and got rid of Origin, the sooner they might be able to help Akio instead of having to stand by and simply hope that the fight against Xehanort was going well.

                “Calm down,” Riku told him. “We’ll find him.”

                “Right!” Kairi agreed.

                Always one to wait for the proper moment, Origin rose from the ground before them. “You certainly aren’t very patient on your own, are you, Haru?” the man asked in his usual smooth voice. “I’m surprised though; you let your family come along with you? A pity, really; who will protect poor Akio once you’re all gone?”

                Sora lowered Akio to the ground and drew his Keyblade, standing protectively over his son.

                “Who said we’re going anywhere?” Haru tried to look strict and fearless, but he had a sinking feeling that he was failing miserably.

                Origin laughed. “Aw. Look at you. You’re trying to act like you believe your dear Akio would in this situation… But you’ve never been very good at acting, now have you?” Sora, Riku, and Kairi were prepared to attack, and Haru realized he should have drawn his weapon as well. “And just look at how incompetent you are,” Origin taunted. “I shouldn’t be surprised, though; Akio always did give you a nudge when it came to your Keyblade.”

                “Shut up, Origin!” Riku growled, stepping in front of his son and preparing to attack.

                “And you, Riku; here you are, forgetting how you failed all of them,” Origin remarked. “Each and every one of your friends falling to my control… You couldn’t save them. And even worse, you never made it back to your son. You left him all alone.”

                “Your mind games won’t work on us!” Kairi announced.

                “Ah, but they did before.”

                “That doesn’t mean they will again!” Sora countered.

                “How would now be any different?” Origin laughed.

                Haru looked back and watched as the Masters fell under Origin’s spell, their faces contorting in pain from the memories that came crawling back. “Hey, stop it!” he yelled at Origin, lunging forward to attack. He had to protect them! Origin stepped out of the way. “Get back here and fight!”

                “I’m not about to fall for that one, and certainly not from you.” Origin rolled his eyes. “I can’t believe that the Akio boy ever tricked me in the first place.”

                Haru blocked him from getting through as he watched his family slowly falling to the ground, too overwhelmed by the memories that lingered in their hearts to continue. They were reliving their own personal battles. “You’re not hurting them again!” Haru protested. He stood directly in front of the enemy. “And you’re sure as hell not getting Akio!”

                “Hmm… Perhaps you’re not as ignorant as I thought.” Origin smirked as Haru blocked another attempt to pass. “You didn’t even forget my true purpose. I’m sure that your dear Akio would be so proud of you. All grown up and making your own decisions.”

                “Shut up!”

                Origin stopped. “Don’t you remember how easily you’re forgotten?”

                Haru felt his own painful memories trying to surface; Origin was trying to control him. Images flew through his mind; there was nothing he could do to stop them… but he held onto reality enough to keep fighting, even as so many images, so many memories of his mother forgetting him, slipped through his mind.

                But… Then he remembered his last journey; Akio’s smile and laugh, their friendship. He had finally been able to protect his friend as save him from the life he had once been forced to live. Akio… Akio had never forgotten him. He had never given up until they were finally together again. Akio would never forget him!

                Those thoughts cleared his mind and allowed him to regain consciousness in time to stop Origin from slipping past, his Keyblade colliding and startling the man who still believed himself invincible. “How—“

                “’Memories can be as real as anything; sometimes they are even more real than physical things,’” Haru quoted what Akio had once told Queen Minnie.  “’The more a person fears a memory, the stronger it becomes.’” Haru attacked once more, his weapon hitting its mark. “Well, I’m not afraid of those memories anymore, and I’m not afraid of you!”

                “What? Impossible!” Origin backed away, holding his arm. “Everyone fears the past! It’s inevitable.” He paused, turning his attention past the waking masters and to the unconscious Akio. “Wait… is that how Akio could harm me? How he could fight against every attempt I made? All of those nightmares…” Origin’s eyes widened. “I couldn’t touch them because he’s not afraid?”

                “The past is the past; there’s nothing to fear now!” Haru charged in for another attack, the Masters quickly following suit. All of their attacks connected this time. Origin glared fiercely at them as he quickly faded through a portal on the floor that immediately closed.

                “The past is the past…” Riku repeated as Haru rushed over to check on them. “I can’t believe I had forgotten that.” Haru tilted his head, but he didn’t question the comment. He was sure it was a painful memory, and painful memories shouldn’t be discussed while Origin was around.

                “Thanks for saving the day,” Sora said cheerfully, trying to hide his embarrassment.

                Haru shrugged. “It wasn’t me; I’m just lucky I didn’t let those stupid memories get to me. I probably would have had Akio not lectured me yesterday.” He paused. “I think Origin was right when he said that Akio could injure him because he was never afraid of his memories; there’s just something about Akio…”

                Kairi paused. “Do you think we’ll be able to fight him now too?”

                Haru nodded. “Now all we have to do is find him again and stop him from running away.”

0o0o0


	31. Understanding

Chapter 31: Understanding

                As they walked, the conversation quickly moved onto a different track.

                Riku spoke up. “So Haru…”

                “What’s up, Dad?” He looked over at Riku, noting his worried expression.

                “I know it’s not really important at the moment, but… why did you decide you’d rather stay with me than your mother?”

                Haru paused at the question; it was the last thing he had been expecting. “Because I wanted to? I don’t know.” He could tell that Riku wanted more explanation, particularly from the defeated look on his face. “It’s not like Mom and my stepdad treated me poorly or anything; they just were really controlling, if they even noticed I was there.” He sighed. “And they didn’t even bother to worry about me when I was gone. They acted disappointed when I went back home.” He shook his head. “I figured if they didn’t want me and you didn’t mind having me around, I had no reason to stay.”

                Riku still seemed puzzled. “Of course I like having you around,” he assured. “Sorry I asked; it was bugging me. I couldn’t figure it out… I just hope that I’m what you expected.”

                “It’s been really cool to be around you!” he exclaimed. “I mean, who _wouldn’t_ want to hang out with their Keyblade Master Dad?” He grinned. The mood lightened at the words; they all laughed, and Haru took the opportunity to turn to Sora and Kairi. “And don’t worry; Akio will come around. He’s just afraid, and I don’t think it’s you.”

                “I guess it wouldn’t be, since he has to deal with Xehanort,” Sora admitted, glancing down at his son.

                “That’s not even what I mean,” Haru explained. “I mean, he acts that way around everyone. You should have seen him at Radiant Garden when we ran into Leon.”

                “You went to Radiant Garden?” Kairi asked curiously.

                “Yeah; early on when we were looking for you,” Haru disclosed. “Akio almost got into a fight with Leon. I think Leon thought Akio was just some punk.” He paused. “Then again, I can’t really blame him. Akio was acting so aggressive at first. I know for a fact that there would have been a battle if I hadn’t been there to calm Akio down and Aerith hadn’t been there to stop Leon.”

                Sora seemed to be trying to picture the scene. “You know, that definitely sounds like something Leon would do.” He grinned. “I fought him the first time I met him.”

                “You did?” Haru asked. “I didn’t think you’d clash personalities with someone.”

                “Well, it wasn’t so much that. I mean, we get along now, but back then, he was trying to take my Keyblade away. I didn’t know much about it at the time, but I knew that I didn’t want a stranger to get ahold of it.” Sora chuckled.

                Haru smiled. “You know, he was asking about our Keyblades too. He, Yuffie, and Aerith saw us fighting some heartless and came over to us. Akio didn’t trust them; he didn’t think they were safe.”

                “With Leon, I can’t really blame him,” Riku commented.

                Haru tried not to laugh at the memories. “At first, Akio kept acting like the biggest jerk and like he was the most confident person in the universe. I was so confused… I had just started talking to him again at that point. But… I could tell that if anything happened, he would have done whatever it took to protect me, even though we didn’t really know each other.” He paused. “Maybe it’s different with me having been a long lost friend though. You guys are his parents… Then again, I don’t think there’s anything intimidating about me.”

                “Maybe we should talk to him differently,” Kairi thought aloud. “Maybe ask fewer questions; do you think that might help?”

                Haru nodded. “It would. I know you want to get to know him, and you want to know what happened to him, but I think he really has put the past behind him.” He shrugged. “I mean, he told me the other day that I shouldn’t worry about what happened before our last journey. He said something along the lines of ‘I prefer to remember the good stuff.’” He noticed Riku and Kairi glance at Akio with surprise before their gaze wandered to Sora. Haru wondered what that meant. “It’s funny too; early in our last journey, he was such a pessimist. He claimed it made good things a nice surprise; but it seemed almost like one of the times I told him to be more optimistic it just clicked or something.”

                Sora and Kairi looked at each other. “What happened while we were gone?” Kairi asked after a moment.

                Haru shook his head. “I don’t know any real specifics. I wasn’t able to talk to him for years; if we hadn’t ended up in Twilight Town at the same time, I don’t think we would have ever interacted.” Haru frowned. “I could always tell that he didn’t want to talk about things, and even now he doesn’t. There were a few times that things came up when he didn’t really want to share… We only ever talked about things twice. But… He really seemed to have put it all aside.” Even though Akio had told him he could say things, he didn’t really have much to tell. He would have to leave more details to him. “All I really know is that they isolated him… and they hurt him frequently. He never told me much, so I don’t know what really happened.”

                “Oh.” Sora sounded ashamed.

                “Hey, don’t be so hard on yourself!” Haru told him. “You didn’t expect to be gone for so long.”

                Kairi shook her head. “I should have at least stayed behind!” she admitted. “I had a child to take care of; my feelings of jealousy shouldn’t have gotten to me.”

                “You thought you were leaving him in good hands,” Haru assured. “His grandmother was really nice, and you never expected him to end up with his aunt and uncle.”

                “But—“

                Haru interrupted, “Worry about it later, alright? Origin’s powers grow on bad memories, right?”

                Riku nodded in agreement, looking at Sora and Kairi. “I think you’re right.”

                “Right,” Haru reaffirmed. “So the key is to fight the pain with good ones.”

                Akio’s parents looked at each other before nodding. “But how do we do that?”

                “Stop thinking so negatively.” Haru grinned. “Remember the good stuff! Maybe if we keep thinking positive things, we will be ready when Origin tries to mess with our heads again. Save those worries for later, okay?”

0o0o0

_Akio returned from a brief survey of the beach; the sun was beginning to rise once more in this strange cycle of night and day. He walked over to Yami._

_He looked up when he heard footsteps. “Welcome back,” the spirit greeted._

_“Thanks,” Akio replied with a sigh. “Things still holding up over here?”_

_“Yeah.” Yami looked distant. “Say Akio; you don’t really believe the whole ‘the past is the past’ spiel, do you?”_

_Akio paused in mid step. “Well, yes and no.” He sat down next to Yami. “I believe it in theory, you know? But in practice… the past still hurts. I mean, I’m not afraid of it; there’s no reason to be. But… it will always be there.”_

_“Oh.” Yami looked down in defeat._

_“But that doesn’t mean those words aren’t true,” Akio offered. “I mean, I’m sure that in most cases, the past really has no real bearing on the present.” Yami looked back over. “Memories are still powerful and very real… don’t get me wrong on that one; but you know, I’m going to keep saying those stupid words, saying that the bad memories and pain shouldn’t matter, because one day, I’ll actually believe it!”_

_Yami studied him. “I think I’ll try that too.”_

_With that, they returned to their watch, no further words spoken._

0o0o0


	32. Lament

Chapter 32: Lament

0o0o0

                Origin paced across the empty room; he was growing impatient with ‘that Haru boy.’ He would have expected to lose to Akio; he had lost to him before, been hurt by him, and been outdone. But Haru’s bravery had come as a surprise.

                Yes, Akio had been a problem since the very beginning, but Origin could never have imagined how much light and positivity came from Haru, and when paired with what surely was a poor understanding of Akio’s comments, it became quite dangerous indeed. Yes, by drawing on Akio’s wisdom, Haru might even be as powerful as the problem himself.

                At least now Origin knew how he had been injured by Akio, and even now that the others had grasped the concept, he would be more cautious. Perhaps he would have to send some heartless and nobodies to do his dirty work. He would be disappointed that he would be unable to get the revenge he had hoped for from the humiliating defeat by Akio, but as long as he could manage to get Haru and the Masters away from the brat, it would be worth it.

                Yes, Akio had always been the key. If Origin could release Xehanort from the boy, he could join him and fulfill his purpose. True, he would sacrifice himself. Yes, it would be nice to remain a being of his own; but he had been created for a purpose, and that purpose was to aid in Xehanort’s return. Now, that goal was in sight. All he had to do was get to the nuisance while he was unconscious and vulnerable, with no way to defend himself.

                It would be so simple. It shouldn’t have been as difficult as it was to sneak past his guards, but at least there would be another chance once they caught up with him.

                It was good that he didn’t have to search. He wasn’t used to being injured, and he had gotten more than a scrape from that last battle. He had been caught off guard, and he could only recover so quickly… He hoped that Xehanort was having success inside the vessel, hopefully managing to take over, but there was no way to tell from out here. And… For some reason, thinking of Akio as a ‘vessel’ made him cringe like the word shouldn’t apply to anyone… but it didn’t matter! The point remained that he needed to reach him. He needed to do what he could to help Xehanort.

                Origin paused in his steps. “Then what?” he mused. “What’s the point to all of this, anyway?”

                He looked down at his hands. He knew that those hands were only an illusion. “I’m only a memory…” He shook his head as he crossed the room. “I guess I’ll be gone.” He reached his destination; he stared into the mirror, and no face looked back. He had expected no less. “I’m not even real in the first place.”

                His mind began to wander as he stared into the empty void. “I can’t get rid of the Masters,” he realized, “they’re keeping me alive.” The mirror swirled, showing memories of battles long passed, the ones that had created him. The pain lingered even now. “I’m made from their memories, not Xehanort’s. If I let Xehanort win…” He waved his hand in front of the glass and sent the vision away. “I’ll be gone.”

                And he wondered why he would ever have wanted that to happen in the first place.

                “Maybe I don’t have to cause any more pain,” he pondered. “If I let them destroy me, Xehanort will be weakened.” The mirror flashed with memories of good times that were far away; the days before he reawakened their pain. “I’ve hurt them enough.” He watched as the illusion shifted to show the memories of another… Of Akio. And it hurt to remember the future that he was about to take away. He turned away from the reflection. He was unwilling to keep watching.

                He clenched his teeth, throwing his hands in the air. “Why am I feeling this guilt?” he growled. It was a very strange feeling, one that he never had experienced. “Why do I care about them? They deserve this… right?”

                He knew he was only arguing with himself, and he knew which part of him was right. “I don’t even exist… I’ll be gone either way.”

                He turned and headed towards the door. He knew it was time.

                He knew that he needed to stop the one who caused the nightmares that had created him in the first place…

                Because he was only a memory… and he was a memory that deserved to fade away.

0o0o0

                Origin frowned at the expressions of grief frozen on Sora, Riku, Kairi, and Haru’s faces as he rounded the corner. The dread only grew when he was spotted. They wished to fight; that was good. His plan would work.

                He shook his head. “Keyblade Masters,” he addressed them. “I have a small request.”

                “Why would we do anything for you?” Sora demanded with a glare. Each Keyblade Wielder took on a defensive stance.

                “It is for your benefit more than mine.” Origin nodded, closing his eyes. “Destroy me.” As the words echoed out it felt as if a weight was being lifted from his chest.

                When he cracked his eyes open, all were frozen in shock. “What…?” Haru puzzled.

                “Destroy me,” he repeated. “It will help your dear Akio in his fight against Xehanort,” he explained desperately. “I’m your memories, and all I’m doing is helping Xehanort gain strength.” What was this emotion? Was he… sad? Frightened? Desperate? “I don’t want history to repeat itself,” he continued. “I know how much pain Xehanort caused because I _am_ that pain, and I have only made things worse in my time.” A smile crossed his face. This was the right thing to do. “I’ve already grown weaker since you awakened. You’re free to make new memories now; I serve no purpose but to hold you back.”

                “Origin?” Riku asked in disbelief.

                “I’m not real,” Origin stated. “If I have to go away, I want to do ‘good’ for once, instead of ‘evil!” He drew his weapon. “I will fight you if I must!” He took a deep breath. “Because I am _not_ Xehanort. I never have been, and I never will be anything more than a memory!”

0o0o0

                _Yami looked up from the point in space that had held his attention with a puzzled expression painted on his face. Akio looked over. “What’s up, Yami?”_

_“I… I don’t know.” He shook his head. He held up a hand and tried to focus on hearing the outside. He stiffened. “Origin’s out there…”_

_“What?” Akio leapt to his feet. “Are they all okay?”_

_“I think so.” Yami pondered what might be happening. He never expected the words that he heard. “He wants them to destroy him.”_

_“Why would he want that?”_

_“I…” Yami tilted his head. “I think he’s feeling guilty…” He frowned at the ground. “He said ‘he doesn’t want history to repeat itself’.” And Yami could only think that he had been wishing for the same thing._

_“That’s good,” Akio wondered, “isn’t it?”_

_“I think so.” Yami nodded and looked relieved._

_But Akio returned his attention to where they had trapped Xehanort. The old master was struggling again. “I think we need to get ready to fight.” He summoned his Keyblade._

_Yami jumped to his feet. “Let’s finish this.”_

0o0o0

                “Oh _come on,_ ” Origin whined as he darted forward. “I destroyed your lives; stop holding back.” He dashed towards Haru. They would defend their child no matter what.

                Finally, _finally_ the battle progressed. Now that they were fighting back, Origin let the attacks hit. He ignored their words; what was the point in listening to them? Why were they so merciful? He shoved positive memories their way. Why should he cause them more pain when he could strengthen them instead with their hopes and dreams?

                But he froze… he was being pulled away from reality. “No!” he shrieked as he struggled. He snatched the Keyblade from Haru’s hands. “I will not be used anymore!”

                With that, he shoved the weapon through his heart, and as it clattered to the ground, he faded away, seen no more as memories were always meant to be, holding no regrets as he disappeared forever.

0o0o0

                _Yami and Akio were in a battle for their life; Xehanort seemed stronger. Somehow he was faster and more powerful, and what they had hoped would be a simpler battle after his imprisonment was turning out to be harder than either could have imagined._

_“’Yami’,” Xehanort growled. “I don’t know how you were affecting that figment; but it’s of no use.”_

_Akio dodged another attack. “Just shut up!” he ordered. “Can’t you see that you’re going to lose? Give up already!” He knew the words wouldn’t work, but those words kept him moving._

_Xehanort seemed amused. “Still as stuck up as ever, I see.”_

_They all knew when Origin faded away. The darkened sky grew momentarily brighter… But as Xehanort scowled, the darkness returned and the room was flooded with smoke._

0o0o0

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And the irredeemable villain decided to go against my wishes and have a final change of heart.


	33. Alone

Chapter 33: Alone

_The darkened beach was blown away by a strong wind. Now Akio’s heart was out in the open, no longer protected by the façade that he had created. What had once been a serene beach was now bright and colorful and high in the air._

_The platform on which they stood was vibrantly colored. Red stained glass was adorned with the faces of the people he cared about. Sora, Kairi, and Haru decorated the surface beneath his feet. But the glass had fractures; it was fragmented by darkness and scarred over with white. Akio knew that his heart had no shield left; now Xehanort had full access if he were to fail._

_Akio looked around. Yami wasn’t there anymore. He knew he must fight alone and that his chances of winning were slim…_

_But he sure as hell wasn’t about to give up now that he had something to fight for._

_Xehanort sneered at Akio. “So this is your heart…” He gestured at the glass surface. “You can see for yourself how close I have come to winning in the past; if your wall of darkness hadn’t been there to protect you, you would have been gone long ago.” He laughed at Akio’s glare. “Even that new Keyblade is proof of how weak you are,” Xehanort taunted. “Your others were simply hand-me-downs; once you could no longer wield your father’s, you had to borrow from Yami.”_

_Akio glanced down at the blue key in his hands before rolling his eyes. “I’m fully aware that I’m a wreck of a person. I don’t have to be told that I wasn’t worthy of my own Keyblade before.”_

_“You are?” Xehanort’s confusion shone through._

_“Well yeah; I’ve been hiding for so long. I was letting the darkness get the best of me. Of course I didn’t deserve my own Keyblade since I was falling apart! I could have done terrible things with that kind of power!” He didn’t hesitate before he said the next words. “I’ve always been weak. I gave up a long time ago. But I’ve decided: I’m someone worth fighting for! Maybe this Keyblade is proof that I’m finally worthy; that I’m strong enough to change! That finally, finally I will win against you!”_

_Xehanort acted unfazed. “Is this like that ‘the past is the past’ nonsense?” He smirked. “I know that you don’t believe it.”_

_“Of course I don’t believe it!” Akio retorted. Xehanort raised an eyebrow. “The past sure as hell effects the present! Why else would I have always avoided it! But you know… I don’t have to be afraid of it!”_

_“But why insist on telling that Haru boy to forget the past?” Xehanort puzzled. “And that entity as well; you lied to them when you said the past did not matter.”_

_“Well, Haru’s an idiot… in a good way!” Akio didn’t take his eyes off of Xehanort. He couldn’t let him slip out of sight. “Yami knows the truth. I don’t believe that phrase; ‘the past is the past, it says nothing for the present’… of course I don’t believe that! But maybe if I keep saying it…” Akio held up his Keyblade and prepared to fight. “Maybe one day I’ll believe it!”_

_“You’re as simple as your father.” Xehanort brandished his Keyblade in return. “It’s such a shame that I have to use you this way. You’d be so useful with your powers.”_

_“It’s not like you’re going to win,” Akio taunted. “I’ve got something to fight for now. I won’t give up!”_

_“Simple words, nothing more.” Xehanort vanished and rematerialized behind Akio. “This fight will be far too easy without Yami sneak in and mess things up.”_

_Akio couldn’t dodge in time; Xehanort’s sword collided with his side. He yelled at the pain of darkness slicing through him, but he stood back up. “I can protect myself,” he proclaimed, straightening back up and preparing to attack._

_“You are but a weak child, Akio,” Xehanort disagreed, darting forward. Akio barely managed to block the attack, and he was growing too close to the edge of the platform for comfort. “You let your light get too weak. It’s your own fault. You have no strength without Yami’s darkness to hold you afloat.”_

_Akio leapt away from the edge swinging is weapon, but the attack missed. He kept getting disoriented by the uneven surface. “I’m not weak!” he hissed._

_“But you are.” Dark fog invaded the platform. “Akio; your name is truly ironic. ‘Bright hero.’ You certainly don’t live up to that title.”_

_Akio’s bravery began to waver. That phrase… He had known it all along. He wasn’t bright and full of light like people expected. He wasn’t like his parents or Haru. “Shut up,” he yelled weakly. The darkness was growing stronger and making it hard to breathe._

_“You don’t even have any decent comebacks left, do you? No snide remarks?” Xehanort taunted. “Or is it that you agree?”_

_“I said shut up!” Akio protested. Keyblades clashed one more time before Akio noticed he was on the very edge of the platform._

_He desperately pushed against Xehanort’s Keyblade, but he couldn’t regain his footing… He teetered over the edge and fell into darkness…_

_But then there was light._

0o0o0

                “Oh, come _on!_ ” Yami yelled as Akio was drawn away from him.

                Or rather, as he soon noted when he looked up and saw a white room surrounding him, he was thrown away from Akio’s heart entirely. He looked at his hands… translucent and shaking hands… before spotting his unconscious host beside him. He heard the _ching_ of Keyblades being summoned and knew who he would see when he turned to face the sound.

                “Well hey?” Yami greeted nervously, stepping closer to Akio and rubbing the back of his head. He knew that to the Masters, he would only look like Xehanort, with his silver hair and golden eyes created by the darkness; the very foe that Akio was not fighting… alone. He looked at one person in particular. “You remember me, right Haru? Please tell me that you remember me!” Yami was terrified by this scenario; weapons drawn on him when he had done nothing. “And don’t hurt me!” he begged.

                Haru studied him quizzically, but he lowered his Keyblade. “Yami, right?” Haru looked at the Masters to tell them it was okay. Haru sent his Keyblade away, but the others were still wary.

                “Right!” Yami cheered. It was strange to hear his own voice echoing off of real walls instead of fake ones. The combination of tones and qualities sounded empty and hollow in reality. “So um, don’t mind me. I’ll just, you know, sit over here and try to get back in there to help Akio.” This was not a comfortable situation at all, so he turned his attention back to his friend and sat on the floor.

                “Is Akio okay?” Haru worried.

                Yami glanced up. “He was fine…”

                “…Was?” He looked disheartened.

                “Well, let’s be blunt; I’m not exactly in there anymore, so all I can do is hope that he still is.” Yami didn’t want to explain this, but what else could he do? If he wasn’t completely honest, they might suspect him of… something. Geez, he was sounding exactly like Akio with that paranoia.

                They were looking like he should continue… but to be truthful, he felt very ‘naked’ outside of Akio’s heart and would rather stay silent. He sighed. “You see… _somehow_ I was shoved out of there. I thought we might have beaten Xehanort, but it looks like I could have been wrong.” He frowned at their worry. “ _Could_ have been, I said; I’m not saying I was.” He laughed nervously, looking back at Akio’s sleeping face. This was surreal. “So yeah, I’m sure he’s fine,” he lied. “He’s tough. Go team Akio and all that jazz.”

                Haru’s mood seemed to improve from the last comment at the very least. “He’s tough,” he agreed. “So he’ll be fine.”

                “Who are you?” Sora wondered.

                “Who me?” Yami asked. Sora nodded. “I’m Yami; I’m an entity that was made from the darkness in Akio’s heart. I’m not sure how he made me as I am now, and honestly, I stopped questioning how he works long ago.”

                “Okay…” It was evident that Sora was no less confused and was trying to seem like he wasn’t.

                Yami, for his part, wasn’t sure what else to say. There had to be some way to paint this all in a positive light. “What can I say? Akio’s got the heart of a saint or something. He’s been holding Xehanort prisoner for his entire life. I think that’s how I came to be; I used to keep Akio away from Xehanort, before I became like I am now… but I’m not sure. I’ve only been like this for a short while, a few months at most.” Yami didn’t look up at them, choosing to study Akio’s face again. It was so unsettling to see him in person. “I thought I was part of Xehanort, but the more I think about it, the more I realize I never was.” He just hoped he was okay in there.

                Riku studied him. “You aren’t a Nobody, are you?”

                “Beats the hell out of me,” Yami said with a shrug. “All I was at first was anger and hatred. I’m not sure how I’ve become what I am now.”

                “Anger and hatred?” Haru wondered.

                “Yep. Akio certainly had a lot of that it in heart. I chased him down night after night trying to keep him afraid and away from Xehanort… I didn’t know what I was doing back then; I was just darkness.” He sighed. “But I came to be when he faced the darkness instead of running away. That was the night he got the new Keyblade; you remember that, right Haru?” Haru nodded. “It was my Keyblade.”

                “So… if you’re anger and hatred, how are you, you know, not angry?” Haru asked.

                Yami snorted. “You’re even worse in person, aren’t you?” He paused when Haru recoiled. He shrugged to dismiss it. “I mean… At first, I was. I was really angry at Akio that he made me; I was angry that I couldn’t do my job right. I was… upset.” He shook his head. “But I started feeling guilty, guilty for the pain that Xehanort had caused him. I couldn’t hold Xehanort back on my own anymore. That’s why I helped him fight Origin.”

                “You helped?” Kairi asked.

                Yami rolled his eyes and turned to face them. “I told Akio that Origin would get stronger the closer he got to his captives. He, in turn, came up with the plan to have him lead Haru and him to you guys. It was my fault that Akio nearly died though; I told him to go through that portal to take on Origin on his own. I thought it was the best option.” He shook his head. “In the end, I felt guiltier than ever. I was still causing the poor kid pain, but what was I supposed to do?” He glanced back at Akio. “So I approached him in his dreams again, and I made him stop having nightmares… Then he went and decided that I was lonely and became my friend. The guy’s really insane…” He frowned. “I’ve been evolving since I was created, and now I just don’t know what to do to help him.”

                Yami turned back around. “Well, whatever,” he continued. “I’m done talking. The real world is exhausting. I don’t know how he does it.” Yami focused his attention on the sleeping teen, hoping that it would somehow get him back in there soon, because he wasn’t so sure about this ‘being outside’ thing.

                Oh wait, he was sure; he was sure he didn’t like it. He didn’t want to be his own being! He wanted to get back where he belonged, where he was safe and warm. He didn’t want to say ‘I’; he needed to say ‘we’. Because he wasn’t a person; he was part of Akio.

                It was all too much, these emotions and these people talking; they weren’t even arguing, but their voices were loud and annoying when they weren’t muffled by secondary hearing. He did his best to block them out, but it was a lot harder than Akio always made it seem.

                “We need to help Akio!” Kairi shouted.

                “But how?” Sora asked.

                Riku shook his head uncertainly. Haru was busy jabbering at a mile a minute trying to brainstorm and failing miserably with no one stopping him from getting off track… Yami wondered what Akio saw in the boy. He was nothing but a nuisance.

                Yami couldn’t take it anymore. “Could you all just shut up!” he yelled. “You’re not making any progress! You’re giving me a headache!” he snapped. “How does he deal with you people?” This was all too chaotic. He was used to simple one on one conversations that were direct and solved problems; this was not that.

                But they all fell silent and stared at him. “Okay,” Yami said curtly. “Let’s try to get somewhere with this. Let’s think…” Yami crossed his arms and leaned back. “Okay… So here’s a thought. Maybe you can somehow use your Keyblades to open some kind of a portal?”

                “I don’t think it works that way,” Riku muttered in annoyance.

                Yami rolled his eyes. “You know, people are tedious,” he proclaimed. “Make it work, I don’t care how!” He leapt to his feet.

                But he was shoved forward by a blast of energy coming off of Akio in waves. He tried to fight against it as his heart pounded, tried to fight his way back to the body... But something was blocking him. A visible wall of darkness formed between them.

                All they all could do was watch in horror as Akio’s body stood up; but it was obvious that Akio was there no more. The eyes were no longer clear blue and full of light when the lids opened; they were sinister gold. Akio’s once red hair had faded to silver. The body’s hand came out of his hoodie clenched into a fist, and when it opened, shattered pieces of Wayfinder clattered to the ground. The person smirked. There was no question as to who this was.

                “Xehanort!” Sora growled. “Get out of my son!”

                “Oh, but Akio’s gone. There’s nothing you can do.”

0o0o0

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy crud, it's happening.


	34. What Remains

Chapter 34: What Remains

0o0o0

                _The light was too bright. Akio was so tired. He knew he had lost the battle against Xehanort… Now he was just exhausted. So sleepy; he just wanted to sleep now. And… why shouldn’t he? He had lost, right? He couldn’t do anything anymore. It was over._

_“Akio,” a familiar but distant voice called to him. “You need to stay awake.”_

_“Grandma?” Akio opened his eyes and looked around frantically; there was nothing but an empty bright light to burn his eyes. He was alone. “Where are you?”_

_“I’m with you sweetie,” she assured. “You can’t go to sleep.”_

_“But… I’m so tired,” he resigned. “I lost; can’t I just rest now?”_

_“No, Akio,” she continued to insist. “I’ve been watching you; I never quite understood what it meant to be a Keyblade Wielder when your father first became one, but now I’ve seen it through your eyes… There’s far more out there that you have to worry about than I ever realized would burden you.”_

_“I know, but—“ Akio shook his head. “I fell out of my heart. I failed. Again.” He looked down. “I was supposed to keep Xehanort away from everyone, but now he’s won. Now, I can’t even get back to my own body.” He sighed. “Why shouldn’t I just sleep?”_

_“Akio, you don’t just want to sleep,” she said with a hint of pain. “I know that you’re tired. I know how tired you are now, but please; stay awake. Don’t give up…” There was a pause. “It’s not your time.”_

_“My… time?” Akio looked up. “Wait; you mean… I’m dying?” The light, the voice of someone long passed; it made sense now.”_

_“You can’t give up, Akio,” she told him. “You haven’t failed; you have never failed anyone; not a single person.” She paused. “Each day you fought to live! No matter how hard things got, you never gave up; I’m so proud of you. You don’t have to die yet; I know you are strong enough to fight this! You are so brave. Don’t let Xehanort win! He wants you to die.”_

_“But I’m so tired,” Akio mumbled. Still, he kept his eyes open._

_“I know sweetie,” she sympathized. “But you need to go back; your parents need you, Haru needs you… There’s so much more out there for you to do and see. You can’t fade away.”_

_“But how can I go back? I’m too weak!” he wailed. “I don’t want to die; I don’t want to fall asleep, but how am I supposed to wake up? How can I come back from this?”_

_“Just keep your eyes open, Akio,” she assured. “Just stay awake.”_

0o0o0

                “Oh, but Akio’s gone; there’s nothing you can do.”

                In that moment, Yami felt the world crumbling around him. “No,” he said. He tried to reach out to him… There was nothing there. “No!”

                Xehanort noticed the entity. “How did you get out here? I thought I erased you!”

                Yami ignored the question and clenched his teeth. “Akio’s not gone!” he stammered. “He can’t be!”

                The screaming voices of Akio’s family behind him disappeared as everything sank to the realization. “No…” He couldn’t reach him. He… he had felt _something_ before, but now…

                There was nothing.

                “Then why are you so upset?” Xehanort taunted.

                Yami looked down at his hands… they were growing solid, the transparency fading away. “No!” he screeched. “Akio’s okay!” He was denying what he knew was true… He leapt to his feet. “And if you think he’s not… then you’re in for a terrible surprise!” He summoned his Keyblade and dashed towards Xehanort. _No… Akio, please! Please be okay! Please, just reach out to me!_ he begged.

                Xehanort dodged out of the way, smirking. “You’re holding back, ‘Yami’.”

                “Give him back!” Yami shrieked, swinging his Keyblade at Xehanort… But the attack didn’t connect. He knew Akio was fragile. He wouldn’t hurt him. “Give him back!”

                “One would think you’d be happy, Yami,” Xehanort said. “With him gone, you’re all that’s left of the soul; just look at yourself. You’re becoming your own being.”

                “No! I don’t want to!” he cried as he tried another attack. Xehanort seemed taken aback by the comment. “Give him back! Give Akio back to me!”

                “No, this is far too nice of a body,” Xehanort stated. “Sure he lacks power, being so malnourished; but I’ve never been someone so agile.”

                Yami had to get him back; he just had to! He didn’t want to be his own being. He just… All he ever wanted was to be with Akio. He didn’t care how; if he stayed as he had been, he would be with Akio forever! If he was a part of him… he thought they could never be torn apart.

                Now he was being proven wrong and he hated it.

                _No…_ “You’re not doing this to him!” Yami yelled. He couldn’t be gone! “This is my fault! I wasn’t strong enough to hold you back!” He had to get him back. He clenched his fist tighter around his Keyblade. “He’s stronger than you could ever be; he’ll come back!” He knew he was saying those words only to himself.

                Xehanort smirked. “He wasn’t as strong as you believed, ‘Yami,’” Xehanort disagreed. “Without you there protecting him, it wasn’t any issue to shove him out of the way.” He dodged another attack with no problem. “You should have seen his face,” Xehanort taunted them all. “He was trying so hard to be brave like he always does, but he was terrified in that moment. He knew it was over.”

                Yami had to get back to him. He didn’t care if those stupid people bugged him; he didn’t care if that idiot-head got to be with him. He didn’t care if Akio never talked to him again… If they never had another night on the beach. It didn’t matter! “Give Akio back! I’ll disappear if I have to!” Yami proclaimed, tackling Xehanort in Akio’s body to the ground.

0o0o0

                As the barrier fell, so did Akio. Haru, Sora, Riku, and Kairi rushed over to the unconscious teen.

                “Akio!” Haru yelled in vain. “Come on, you have to wake up! We’ve done this all before, remember? Just wake up and punch me already! You know I don’t care!”

                He paused to pick up the broken Wayfinder in the path, cradling the pieces in his hands before continuing to catch up with the masters, who were keeping their distance.

                “We’ve gotten people back from Xehanort before,” Riku tried to reassure everyone.

                “How?” Haru begged.

                There was a long pause. He refused to look over. “Never the same way twice,” he admitted.

                “But I’m sure he’s fighting!” Sora said… perhaps as much to himself as to Haru. “And as long as he fights, he can come back!”

0o0o0

                _Yami fought his way through the darkness; it was too much for him. It felt like he was being drawn back in to the substance he once was. “Akio, where are you?” he called. A sliver of light… that’s all he had to find. Just a glimmer of light and that would be Akio; but he saw none._

_“What are you going to do now? You’re only putting off the inevitable.” Xehanort rose from the ground in front of him. “Now you’re here; you can see that he’s gone, and you will be too.”_

_“He’s not gone!” Yami protested, glancing down at the surface hidden below the fog for confirmation. Indeed, Akio’s heart still remained. But the glass was crumbling away, fragments preparing to fade into dust._

_Akio wasn’t gone yet, but he would be soon if Yami didn’t stop this._

_He summoned his Keyblade; his goal wasn’t to fight Xehanort, but he would if he needed to. He had to find Akio. Everyone was waiting for him. “If anyone’s getting Akio’s body, it’s me!” Yami bluffed. “You won’t use him!”_

_Xehanort laughed as he dodged an attack. “Do you really thing you can defeat me? Even with all of this darkness, even after he failed, you still think you can win?”_

_“Of course I will!” Yami slid out of the way of an attack._

_“Akio was so sure of that too. It’s only a matter of time before you fall to the same fate.”_

_Yami growled. “Xehanort! You will not win this!” Yami swallowed the sadness that crept in through the edges. “If… even if Akio’s gone; even if he’s dead, you won’t use his body!” He gripped his Keyblade more tightly. “He would never want that! This is my fault! I couldn’t protect him. But he wouldn’t want me to let you win… no matter what the cost!” He rushed towards Xehanort, attack carefully aimed—_

_But then he saw it, over the edge. The flicker of light that he had wished with all that he was would remain. It… it was fading…_

_Yami switched directions, anchoring his Keyblade on the platform and jumping over the edge, praying that Xehanort wouldn’t knock him off._

0o0o0

                _It was getting harder and harder to stay awake, but Akio wasn’t going to fall under that spell. His eyes were heavy. “I’m just so frigging exhausted,” he complained. “Why do I have to be so tired?”_

_“Please stay awake!” his grandmother begged. “I need you to stay awake, Akio; it’s not your time to die. You have so much life ahead of you… Stay awake!”_

_“I’m trying,” he managed to mumble. It was just so hard; the light was bright and he wanted to close his eyes, but he knew he couldn’t. He had to get back to everyone._

_He looked up as the wavering light was disrupted. “Go, Akio!” she said with hope as a hand grabbed his arm and pulled him back out of the light._

_…_

_He looked around as he felt himself being yanked unceremoniously back onto his heart… his heart was shattering away. He stared numbly at the thick fog over the crumbling glass before he stood up._

_When he turned his head, he was relieved that it was Yami he saw rather than Xehanort. “Yami?” He leaned on the spirt for support._

_“I’d fade away if it would make you live,” the entity vowed. He dislodged his Keyblade from the ground and held his hand against his arm that had been burned by the light._

_Akio’s head snapped to the source of movement that announced Xehanort rushing towards them, angrier than ever. “What do you think you’re doing?” He glared at Yami before turning to Akio. “You were gone!”_

_Akio summoned his Keyblade. He barely had enough energy left to lift it, but he had to fight: for Haru, for Sora, Kairi, Riku, and Yami! And he had made a promise; he promised his grandmother that he’d stay awake; no matter how tired he got, he wouldn’t let himself sleep!_

_He rushed forward and gave Xehanort no chance to prepare. He had tried mercy and it had failed him. He shoved the Keyblade through Xehanort’s chest, surprising him enough for him to fail to dodge. Yami’s Keyblade followed._

_“How is this possible?” Xehanort demanded as the darkness dispersed._

_The enemy that should have been gone long ago faded to nothing._

_“We did it!” Yami cheered, turning towards Akio; but joy turned to worry when he saw Akio leaning on his Keyblade and staring down at the crumbling glass beneath them with a look of horror. “Akio…” Yami rushed over. “I’m sorry. I failed you…” He thought this was the end._

_“You didn’t fail me, Yami,” Akio insisted. He put his other hand on the Keyblade for balance; Yami frowned and put Akio’s arm over his shouldn’t. “You came back, didn’t you? We beat Xehanort!”_

_“But I was too late!” Yami cried. “You’re fading away now. I’m too late!”_

_“No you’re not,” Akio disagreed. He had to think positive. There was no way around it this time. “I’m still standing here. I’m still alive.” He glanced down at the floor below and shuddered. So little light shone through the shattered glass; so much damage had been done… how could he recover from this? “If barely.”_

_“I can’t heal you,” Yami said sorrowfully. “I’m darkness; you need more light. I… I can’t give you that.”_

_“Just help me stay awake!” Akio begged. “I don’t care how! Chess, cards; anything!”_

_“You’re not strong enough to make an illusion right now.” Yami put a hand on top of Akio’s to stop him from wasting the energy to try._

_“But I have to stay awake!”_

_“You will,” Yami promised. He suddenly sounded determined. “I know you will.”_

0o0o0

                Sora, Kairi, and Riku were preoccupied with things that were probably more useful than what Haru was attempting, but he had nothing better to try.

                How the heck do you make Wayfinders, anyway? And how are you supposed to fix one once it was broken? All he could find around here was some thread and a needle that Akio apparently kept on the back of the charm, and it wasn’t working well.

                He looked behind him at Akio before he moved closer; he knew he should keep his distance but he wasn’t afraid. “You know Akio, I don’t know how he managed to break this thing,” he remarked to his unconscious boyfriend. He had his own charm out for comparison but it wasn’t that helpful.

                He frowned at the broken object. Sure, it was just a symbol; but it was shattered quite possibly beyond repair, and Akio was lying next to him with no signs of every waking up. His breathing was getting shallower and Haru knew he couldn’t do anything to help.

                “You know what, Akio?” Haru looked at his own Wayfinder. “You can borrow mine for now while I fix this one, okay?” He placed the charm in Akio’s hand.

                He was startled by the immediate light that the charm emitted. “Okay, is glowing good?” Haru asked as he jumped to his feet. Akio’s hair had returned to its customary color and his breathing increased. “I think it must be.”

                The Masters looked over. Kairi ran to his side. “What happened?” she worried. She stared at the Wayfinder.

                Haru held up the broken charm. “Well, this one was Akio’s; but Xehanort broke it. I was trying to fix it. I wanted Akio to have mine until I can… I know that sounds strange.”

0o0o0

                _“I have to stay awake,” Akio kept repeating. It was like he had said those words thousands, no, millions of times, but it had worked so far, so why stop now? Yami was beginning to look mildly annoyed, but he wasn’t complaining._

_The dark fog was gone, but the light below was dim and wavering. Akio noticed a subtle glow from above that grew stronger as the glass began to shimmer. “What in the world?” Akio asked. Yami looked around, equally confused, and Akio heard voices in the distance._

0o0o0

                “Actually… Wayfinders have been known to do some pretty strange things,” Kairi acknowledged.

                Haru’s spirits rose. “So it might actually be helping?”

                She nodded; Riku and Sora were busy talking in the distance, trying to work out a plan because this didn’t seem like one.

                “You know,” Kairi noted, “I never realized you two had those charms.”

                “Hmm?” Haru looked at her. “I know we’ve had them out around you; I mean I know for a fact that we had them out the last time he almost died, but I guess you _were_ busy freaking out.” Haru shook his head. A small, hopeful smile snuck onto his face. “Akio made these when we were really little; it was for my birthday the year you all left.”

                Kairi looked surprised. “They’re really well made, especially if made by a child,” she said. “I’m glad to see that they are in good shape; well, other than the one being shattered.”

                Haru shrugged and returned his attention to the broken charm in his hand. “Akio rarely under-does things; all the more reason I need to figure out how to fix this.”

                She held out her hand to take it, but she changed her mind. “I’m sure he’ll help you when he wakes up.” She sounded more hopeful that it would actually happen.

                Haru paused. “So these things really are magic?” he wondered.

                “They could be.”

                Haru grinned. “I can’t wait to see how he’ll react to that!” He chuckled. “He’ll probably laugh, maybe make a joke about it. He’s pretty hard to convince about things like that; I don’t know if he’ll believe me.”

                Kairi nodded; but she paused. “I hope he lets us apologize,” she confided. “He never let us explain what we were trying to say before this happened.”

                “I’m sure he will,” Haru assured. “There wasn’t time for him to calm down. This was all so sudden, and he doesn’t deal well with that kind of thing; I think he had another panic attack and didn’t have time to recover before this all happened.”

0o0o0

                _“You don’t need to apologize,” Akio muttered. He knew full well that they couldn’t hear him. “I’m the idiot and jerk. I’m useless and worthless—“_

_“You’re not worthless,” Yami interrupted._

_“…Anyway.” Akio was too tired to argue, though as the platform shimmered, he was growing stronger. “I’ll be nicer from now on. I’ll try to trust you more. I’ll try to let you into my life!”_

_“You know you’re going to have to tell them those things when you wake up, right?” Yami laughed._

_“You know that won’t happen,” Akio scoffed. He paused. “You know though… when I was in the light, my grandma talked to me. She’s the only way I knew to stay awake.”_

_Yami’s eyes widened. “Oh?”_

_“It was nice…” Akio shook his head. “But I was dying.”_

_“No you weren’t,” Yami denied._

_“You know it’s true,” Akio disagreed. “But I’m not going to give up. I’ll stay awake as long as I have to. I can sleep when sleeping is normal again.” He stood up straighter. The sparkling glass was closer to repair._

_“I’ll make sure that when you do sleep, you won’t have any more nightmares,” Yami promised. “Xehanort’s gone now; it’s over.”_

_Akio smiled. “Thanks, Yami.”_

_“You never have to thank me; you’ve done so much for me. Without you, I wouldn’t exist.”_

_“Say Yami;” Akio began, “where were you, anyway?”_

_Yami tilted his head. “I was out there with your family. They seem… nice enough,” he said. “A bit dull, a bit loud, and more than a bit stupid; but they didn’t try to kill me, so it was all good.”_

_Akio chuckled. “I guess that’s one less thing I have to explain them.” He stopped. “Wait; if you were out there, how did you get back here?”_

_“Beats me; I’m just glad it worked.”_

_“I’m glad too.” Akio looked over. “Did you like being out there?”_

_“No, not at all,” Yami admitted. “It’s nice in here. You keep things calm and safe; I’m never alone when I’m with you, and you understand me.” He nodded. “I’d never want anything more than to be a part of you.”_

_“You mean that, don’t you?” Akio smiled. “And you’re always calling me strange.”_

_“Well, I am you. We’re both weirdos.” Yami looked down. “Look.” He pointed down._

_With a final glow, the glass was finally mended; it was brittle and fragile, but the pieces were connected if only by small threads. The light slowly faded to normal. “I guess someone gave me some light… I wonder how they did it.”_

_“I don’t know.” Though Yami was smiling, there was a hint of sadness in his eyes. Loneliness? “You think you can wake up?” he inquired._

_“I… I think I can try.”_

_“Don’t be a stranger okay?” Yami grinned. “Now go see those people of yours!”_

0o0o0

                Haru and Kairi had just sat back down next to Akio when a fist hit Haru’s face. Hard.

                “Akio?” Haru quickly asked.

                Akio sat straight up, frantically looking around before his eyes settled on Haru. “Did I hit you again?” he worried. “Sorry.” But his mind was cheering; he was awake!

                Though Kairi was understandably confused, Haru started cracking up. It wasn’t only laughter of joy; it was laughter of relief. It was laughter instead of tears. “I swear to go, Akio; I thought I told you never to apologize for punching me when you first wake up. It’s how I know it’s you.”

                Akio knew exactly what he meant by that now… It was more literal than ever. Everything was fuzzy, and he was _very_ tired, but he was glad to finally be awake. He couldn’t help but laugh too, more so when he saw Kairi’s puzzled expression.

                “You know, Haru, I wouldn’t have hit you if you hadn’t been in the way,” he teased.

                “If I hadn’t been in the way, you wouldn’t have tried to punch anything,” Haru joked.

                Akio yawned and looked around. His eyes wandered around the room and he spotted Sora and Riku rushing over to join them; they all looked so relieved… he wasn’t going to tell them how close he had come to dying. They didn’t need to worry.

                “You would think since I was unconscious I’d be rested,” he tried to lighten the mood.

                Sora chuckled and covered his mouth. “That’s not how it works.”

                “Are you feeling okay?” Riku worried. The attempt to calm them down had went over his head.

                Akio rolled his eyes. “Yes I’m feeling okay, at least given that I just got through fighting Xehanort out of my heart or whatever… All things considered, you know.”

                Kairi giggled. “Are you _trying_ to make us laugh?”

                “It’s working, right?” Akio replied. He expected the surprise that he saw… he’d been a real downer; not that it was unusual. “You were so gloomy,” he said. “You aren’t supposed to be sad. I’m alright now. You don’t need to worry anymore.”

                Everyone was smiling. Everything was okay; it was over now, and everything was going to be fine.

                “You’re all okay, right?” Akio pressed. “You aren’t hurt, are you?”

                “You’re asking _us_ if _we’re_ okay?” Sora asked. “You’re the one that just woke up from a major battle.”

                Akio shrugged at the comment and tried not to feel self-conscious about it since Sora looked amused. “Um… yeah.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “I take that it that’s a yes then?”

                “We’re all fine,” Kairi assured.

                Akio readjusted his sweater on his shoulders, his mind wandering back to his absence. “What happened out here, anyway?” he asked.

                They told him about their time while he was unconscious; how he had disappeared, how they had searched for him; about Haru’s freak out, about Origin, and about Yami’s appearance. Akio listened wordlessly, not sure what to say; what was there to say, anyway?

                “I’m… I’m just glad that none of you are hurt,” he decided. “I’m glad that Xehanort didn’t use me to hurt you.”

                “We’re all fine,” Kairi insisted. “Don’t worry about it. You need to relax. You’ve been through a lot.”

                Akio didn’t want to worry about it, he really didn’t; but his mind kept going back to the same questions, questions that he would never ask.

                What would they have done if he really was gone? Would they have destroyed his body to stop Xehanort from controlling it? They would have given up eventually, wouldn’t they? How… how would they have known whether or not he was really gone?

                And what would have happened if he hadn’t made it back?

                Haru punched him gently on the shoulder. “Now _you’re_ gloomy.”

                “I’m always gloomy,” Akio replied. He shook his head. “It’s nothing unusual for me.”

                He looked down at the Wayfinder in his hands. It wasn’t his own; it was Haru’s. “Why do I have this?” He held it up.

                “Oh!” Haru started. “Xehanort broke yours.” He held out the pieces of the broken charm in his hands. “So I gave you mine; just until we can fix yours.”

                Akio studied the shards that remained. They were a painful reminder of how his heart had looked. It reminded him of the fear. He had to admit to himself that he had been terrified that he would never be about to see all of these faces of the ones he cared about again.

                He just hoped that he wasn’t letting it show. “…Shouldn’t be too hard to fix,” he lied after a long silence, referring not so much to the charm as the heart that it represented.

0o0o0


	35. Epilogue

Chapter 35: Epilogue

0o0o0

                Haru and Akio sat on the beach alone once more, watching the sunset and happy to be home. Akio stared off into the distance. His mind was wandering. He had talked to his parents and it had gone relatively well; he wasn’t comfortable with them yet, but he was trying to be better.

                Fighting for control of his heart and body had taken a physical toll. He was weaker than ever and he was in constant pain; not that he told anyone of the latter. He didn’t think that Haru could tell, and to be honest he was happy about that.

                Haru was having thoughts of his own at that moment. “I’m never letting anything like that happen to you again,” he said after several silent minutes.

                Akio looked over, rolling his eyes. “You didn’t _let_ anything happen to me. It happened. That’s the end of it.”

                “Yeah, but…” Haru sighed. “I just want to be able to keep you safe; to take care of you.”

                “Haru, I spent the majority of my life taking care of myself,” Akio replied. He didn’t want to be annoyed with Haru; he knew he only meant the best, but it hurt. “I’m fully capable of doing so. I don’t _need_ someone to take care of me…” He saw that hurt Haru so he hurried to continue. “I mean, yes, I appreciate the sentiment and I appreciate the help; but I really can take care of myself.” He was finding it hard to balance his own pride and trying not to upset Haru. He was having more and more trouble keeping that balance lately.

                Haru refused to look at him. “Yeah, but…”

                “But what?” Akio pressed.

                “I can’t. I can’t take care of myself without you,” Haru said. “I don’t know how I never wandered off some cliff or something equally stupid before you came back into my life; I wouldn’t have made it through this last journey without our parents, and even then we only made it because of thing you had said in the past.”

                “You’d be fine,” Akio assured. He leaned forward and tried to look Haru in the eye, but he looked away. “You were doing okay before our last journey. I don’t see how now would be any different.”

                “But it would!” Haru argued. “I was completely helpless without you there to tell me what to do!” He shook his head. “If it weren’t for thinking of you, Origin would have controlled my mind and would have gotten to you; but since we had just had the whole ‘the past is the past’ talk, I was about to pull on that and stay aware… But the point is, the _only_ way that anything worked out was because I remembered things you said!”

                Akio wasn’t sure how to respond. For one thing, he was surprised that any of his random comments had stuck, especially the ‘the past is the past’ BS. And beyond that, how was he supposed to reply after Haru had just admitted on being so dependent on him. It didn’t sound healthy and it made him very uncomfortable.

                He cleared his throat. “Listen Haru; you’d be fine without me. But I’m not planning on going and dying, okay?”

                Haru was still fretting. “I know that, but what if something does happen? What then? What would I do?”

                Akio poked his shoulder to shut him up. “Cheer up,” he ordered. “Let’s not worry about bad possibilities that probably will never happen anyway, okay? ‘Think positive’ is what you once told me, remember?”

                “…Yeah.”

                “And while I was away, I remembered that I made you a promise, a long time ago.” He sighed. “I told you that legends said as long as we had our Wayfinders, we would always come back to each other. The last time I talked to you when we were little, I promised you I’d come back after I found our parents. I’ve kept that promise so far and I have no intention on breaking it.”

                “Good.” Haru looked relieved.

                “That being said,” Akio continued. He needed to clear some things up. “You need to know that you’d be alright if something happened to me. I mean, what if… I don’t know; what if it wasn’t something like dying?” He shrugged. “What if we went off to different colleges, or what if we broke up? You’d have to be okay on your own.”

                Haru flinched at the last comment. “That won’t happen, right?”

                “We’re only fifteen, Haru! Things happen!” Akio shook his head in exasperation. “Just… Figure out how you’d be okay. Okay?”

                “Fine,” Haru conceded. He seemed in a worse mood than when the conversation bean, but he wasn’t arguing any further.

                Akio sighed. He sucked at interacting with Haru now. It was so hard. He hadn’t thought about Haru very much while he was gone at all, maybe just a time or two, and never without thinking of their families too. Did Haru really care that much more than he did? Was he a terrible person? He wished he didn’t have this worry. He wished things could be simpler.

                He wished that he didn’t have to be seriously considering breaking off the unhealthy part of their relationship while he still could, before it hurt Haru any more than it had.

                But in that moment, his mind settled on a brighter thought; things were at peace. Xehanort was gone. His heart might still be healing, but it _was_ healing. Soon, he would be back to normal, and _then_ he would take these decisions and worries into account.

                “No matter what happens,” he promised. “We’ll always be friends.”

                Haru gave a pained smile. “Right!” he agreed.

0o0o0

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll say the same thing here as I did on fanfic: I have more written, but I probably won't publish it, even though the characters have developed so much further in the other short stories. I just feel like those are mine to keep; even though the later ones are better written due to improvements in my style, I just don't feel like putting out the effort to edit them and post them. I have projects that I like more to work on.
> 
> Thank you for reading, and I hope you have enjoyed this adventure!


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